The Winds of Change
by TanithSeh1011
Summary: What happens when a student who vanished without a trace appeares back at Hogwarts. And what happens when she's Severus' old girlfriend. 6th year and forward rewritten, I started it before HBP even came out.
1. Breaking Glass

It is 6th year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter, his closest friends, and his closest rivals. All the students sat in the Great Hall getting ready to start the much-wanted beginning of term feast. The 1st year students had already been sorted and now all that stopped the food from appearing in front of everyone was that it seemed the Albus Dumbledore still had something to tell the school before they could start with the food. All the students were looking at the Headmaster waiting for the announcement to come. Dumbledore stood and looked around his blue eyes landing on each of the house tables in turn.

"Well the beginning for yet another wonderful school year. I know you are all anxious to begin our feast but I must delay only a few moments more." He paused for a moment as lighting out side clashed and the rains hit the windows sounding harder than before.

"There is much to do this year, and I…" He was cut off by something that no one expected to happen. With a deafening CRASH and the sound of shattering glass the window behind the teacher's table exploded and the rain poured in soaking the teachers, as something or rather someone came sailing through it. The thing turned out to be a young girl. She hit the hard floor among the shards of glass and then quickly picked herself up and face the window.

She was wearing a long black jacket that seemed to be made out of a shinny plastic material. From where Harry sat he could see what was under the Jacket. It was a tight crimson red halter top and royal blue straight leg pants, both of which were also made from the shinny plastic material. She had long jet-black hair pulled back into a high ponytail. The ponytail hair faded into pure white at the bottom, which landed around her waistline. In her hand she didn't hold a wand but what Harry & Hermione recognized as a small revolver. However in this school not too many knew exactly what it was.

As she straightened herself a large Black something came diving threw the broken window. That something turned out to be a large Werewolf, it landed on the ground only feet from the young girl. That wolf reared shot out a large clawed paw not only slicing the girl's back but hitting the young girl with so much force that she was thrown to the ground. She rolled over onto her back, and fired four shots into the werewolve's chest. The wolf fell back and returned into the form of a man with long blond hair.

The girl put her head back she was breathing heavily and was nearly whimpering in pain. She rolled on to her stomach and tried to stand up but fell back to the stone floor exhausted. Dumbledore and Madam Pomfery both left the staff table and moved to the teenagers side Professors McGonagall and Snape right behind them. After discussing some things in hushed tones the headmaster addressed the school

"Everyone is to report to your house common rooms at once. Prefects please escort your houses to the common rooms now." Within minutes all the students had cleared out of the hall and the teachers took the teen to the infirmary.


	2. Cuts Heald and Marks Shown

**Chapter two: Cuts Healed and Marks Shown**

The young girl suddenly awoke sitting bolt upright in the bright infirmary breathing heavily.

"What happened?" she looked at her hands to find the small cuts and scrapes from the werewolf chase were gone. Then she remembered the wound on her back and placed a hand where the claw marks had been to find they were gone. She looked around her and saw Madam Pomfery and Albus Dumbledore coming up the ward toward her.

"Are you feeling better?" Dumbledore asked with a kind smile.

"Er, yes where am I?" She replied throwing her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up, she was surprised to find that her legs supported her. It was usually days after something like that happened before she could put all her weight on her legs.

"This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizdary and I am Albus Dumbledore Headmaster here. This is Madam Pomfery our nurse." He gave a bow and Madam Pomfery gave a slight smile.

"Hogwarts, of all the places to get thrown through a window, I would choose this one." She said looking around on the floor and nightstand. "Where's my stuff?" She asked a bit defensively.

"Right here." Dumbledore said moving aside to revile her jacket & belt, which had her revolver and a 12 inch cherry wood, unicorn hair wand.

"Thanks for the help, but I think maybe I'll be getting out of your hair now." She said moving toward the table with her things; however it seemed the Albus Dumbledore had other plains. He moved into her way just before she reached him.

"First would you give me the pleasure of you name, as I gave you mine." He said still with that strange smile.

"Shaddi Ravencroft." She answered with wariness, _This can't end well._ She thought.

"Well Shaddi, it's near 12:00 o'clock it may be best if you remained here for the remainder of the evening." Madam Pomfery moved away out of view.

"But I'm not a student here." She said wondering why he wished her to stay.

"No but I believe your not a student anywhere am I right?" His tone was normal but there was something about him Shaddi couldn't help but not want to trust, not after everything.

"Well I used to be a Durmstrang student but I left this summer at the end of my fifth year." she said with a suspicious tone.

"So you have something of a magical education. That is good, that is very good. In any case one cannot help but wonder what you were doing out at night, in the pouring rain, being chased by a werewolf." He said now prying even more than before "Why were you not at home out of the storm? Shaddi let out a hollow laugh.

"Home I have no home I never did." She realized something that made her go pail. Her jacket was off and her arms were bare. She tilted her head and let her eyes slide down her arm to the just below the elbow where the dark mark showed vivid red on the sink there. She gasped and retreated back away from Dumbledore her eyes wide she looked up to see what the old man was doing. He was still standing there the smile was gone but he hadn't moved even a little.

"Is there a problem?" He asked seemingly unfazed by her strange action. This confused Shaddi in every way, she had been standing there and there was no doubt in her mind that Dumbledore had seen her mark. This was Albus Dumbledore, the man who fought tirelessly against Lord Voldermort and yet here she stood marked as a Death Eater and he was just standing there. Shaddi didn't answer she just stood there one hand covering the mark on her arm. Just as she was about to speak Severus Snape came crashing into the ward.

"Tell me what I have heard is not true." He half yelled coming striding swiftly up the ward toward the pair.

"What is it you've heard Severus?" Dumbledore said kindly.

"That there is a Death Eater in the castle."

"Severus need I remind you that you were a Death Eater." Dumbledore said a slight hint of humor in his voice.

"I meant other than myself." He seemed quite irritated, and then he turned his focus to Shaddi who backed up even further one hand still one her arm. Snape went pale as if he has seen the living dead, then composed himself, his normal unreadable firmly in place.

"I knew it." He hissed and he turned on his heal and nearly ran from the ward.

_Not well at all._


	3. Dreams and Screams

**Chapter three:****Dreams and Screams**

For what seemed like forever Shaddi stood there wondering what would become of her. After all she had gotten herself hurled right into Hogwarts the very school where Albus Dumbledore was headmaster. Well within the ministry's grasp if Dumbledore turned her in.

_I need to get to my wand at least then I can summon my broom and get out of here if the ministry comes for me_. This thought along with many other plans for escaping the ministry ran wild through her mind. However all ended horribly, the simple fact was she was in deep, no matter which way she looked at it if the ministry was coming she would be hauled off to Azkaban for being a Death Eater.

"Well, would you like to rest some more?" Dumbledore said gesturing to the bed his blue eyes twinkling a bit.

"What? You mean you aren't going to hand me over to the ministry." She said dropping her arms to her sides in shock.

"Why would I ever hand you over to the ministry?" He said looking at her as if she was saying something he didn't understand. This threw Shaddi off balance mentally. She was certain he had seen her mark there was no way he couldn't have.

"Well, because I'm a Death Eater, and you're Albus Dumbledore, your known far and wide for fighting dark wizards, don't I, being a Death eater and all fall under the "Dark Wizard" category?" Suspicion was filling every fiber of her now.

"You are more than welcome to stay here for the remainder of the night and tomorrow if you wish we have plenty of room so welcome to Hogwarts." He left the room leaving Shaddi to her thoughts. After a moment she moved back to the bed and sat down thinking of her past. She sat in the quite for a while then said aloud to her self

"Well at least it's a bed and not a sleeping bag on the ground." Then she stretched herself out on the bed and lay looking up at the ceiling. After many minutes she finally fell into an uneasy sleep.

**Her dream **

Shaddi was moving through a room that was pitch black. She could sense the other person in the room with her. She stretched out all her senses to try to find her hidden enemy. However before she could the hidden voice side the one thing she hoped he wouldn't.

"Crucio!" The voice could as ice deadly as venom said to the darkness. Shaddi felt as if every part of her body were on fire. She twisted and screamed, then it all stopped and she found herself lying on the hard wooden floor still consumed by darkness. She rose her self-form the floor every part of her shaking. She tried to find where the voice that cast the spell had come from. And once again she found the voice in an unknown place.

"You shouldn't have done it young lady, and now you must pay for your betrayal." The voice hissed form what seemed like every direction.

"Crucio!" She hit the ground again screaming and twisting trying to escape the tortuous misery. Again she picked herself up and looked around knowing that she was now so disoriented that her hope of finding her way out of this dark space was slim to none. Then that same venomous voice came from the dark and this time said the last words most would ever hear.

"Avada Kedavra!" Green lights flooded the room.

**End dream **

Shaddi sat bolt upright her breathing fast and uneven she was shaking and looking around her for her attacker, then she realized that she was in Hogwarts she was alive and it had been nearly a year sense she had last faced the Cruciatus Curse. She looked out the window and was surprised to see the sun rising. She got off the feather bed and took the wand in her hand. She tapped herself on the head and her clothes changed. She was now wearing a fitted black silk corset style top and black pants.

Then she picked up her jacket and laid it out on the bed and tapped it too. The jacket kept it floor length design but the colors changed it was no longer the black plastic it had been, it smoothly changed into a deep blood red with sliver trim on the sleeves hem and collar. She picked up her belt, which was black leather and put it around her waist. It fit loosely on her and hung at an angle. Then she slid her wand into a pocket on her belt then threw her jacket over her shoulders and moved out of the hospital wing. Out in the hall way she turned around to see Severus Snape glaring at her.

Shaddi's body immediately went into defense mode; her hands were ready to go for her wand. She knew from the night before that this man had been a Death Eater but that wasn't her only reason for not trusting him. Of course at this point in time she didn't trust anyone within this castle. Severus had on his trademark sneer and Shaddi brought it upon herself to sneer back.

"You might have gotten your hooks into Dumbledore but I'll have my eyes on you and I swear that if you even try one thing I'll have the ministry on you like a pack of wolves. And I remember who you are." Snape said his voice was low and deadly sounding. However Shaddi wasn't even going to let herself be shaken by the likes of him. So she put on her best evil smirk and said,

"Watch all you like, it won't help you." Her voice held the hatred that she saved for very few people and with that last word she turned on him and walked down the hall wondering where she might find a bite to eat or maybe just the door out of this mad house.

_He remembers, from where? My god it is Severus!_ She realized what this meant and began to run.


	4. Sausage and Scars

**Chapter four:****Sausage and Scars**

Within several minutes Shaddi was totally lost in the large castle there's was no way she would be able to find her way out of here on her own.

"I can't remember where the damn exit is." She whispered

"What is this, a bloody labyrinth?" She nearly shouted getting very frustrated wandering around alone looking for one room among many.

"Looking for something?" A voice said from behind her. She turned to see a ghost pearly white and semi-transparent. Nearly Headless Nick had been watching Shaddi for about ten minutes and finally decided to offer his help.

"The front door would be nice." She said 'Forget food.' she thought 'I'd be very happy with an exit.'

"Well, why didn't you say so?" Nick said

"I did say so." Shaddi replied rolling her eyes.

"Well if you're looking of leave follow me, and I'll take you to the front entrance." He began walking about in inch above the ground and Shaddi followed him. It seemed she wasn't as lost as she had once thought she had managed to make her way to the second floor and needed only to turn around and head down a narrow corridor to find the main hall way that ended with a small stair case that headed down to the first floor and the marble stair case into the entrance hall and the exit.

"Here we are." Nick said bowing next to her with one hand outstretched toward the large wooden doors.

"Thanks." Shaddi said then she quickly moved to the doors and was just about to open them when she heard Albus Dumbledore's voice from behind her.

"Leaving so quickly, are we?" Shaddi turned to see the Headmaster in purple robes and atop his silver hair was a large pointed purple hat. He smiling

"Umm yea I should get out of your way." She said she noticed she could hear the mixed chatter of people somewhere nearby and could now see people coming down the same stair case she herself had just come down.

"Well would you like a bite to eat before you go?" He asked motioning his hand toward the doors to his right where some the students were entering, each of them looking at Shaddi with odd stairs.

"Er sure, why not?" Dumbledore moved into the Great hall and Shaddi followed him. There had been no food on the tables the nights before when Shaddi had last seen the hall and now the tables were overflowing with more food than Shaddi had ever seen in any other place before.

"Wow" She said looking don one of the table as she followed Dumbledore to the high table. He stopped next to his own chair and drew her one in the air that floated down to settled there between his chair and Professor McGonagall's.

"Here is a seat, for the lady." He said pulling out the chair for her to sit down.

"Thank you." She said taking the seat and she looked up at the students to see many of them staring at her.

**Harry and Friends point of view (pov) **

"Hey she's back." whispered to Harry and Hermione as the girl sat down.

"Who do you think she is?" Harry asked the others as low chatter began to echo around the hall. Everyone wanted to know that very same thing.

"I don't know but it seems she has recovered from her werewolf attack." Hermione said in a rather stiff voice.

"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked, as Harry too looked puzzled by her cold tone.

"It's nothing." Hermione said

**Draco's pov **

_Well, well, well it seems Dumbledore found another lost dog to drag in._ He thought looking at the girl

_Even if she is a good looking dog, of course knowing Dumbledore she's probably another Granger mudblood. _He contorted his face in disgust and went back to his breakfast.

**Shaddi's pov **

_This can go a number of ways; I killed that werewolf last night, though they may not charge me with murder they can still give me the Dementor's kiss for everything else. I can't let anyone else remember._

"Shaddi, would you like some sausages?" Albus said, shaking her from her thoughts; offering her a platter with a serving fork on the side.

"Thank you." She put a few sausages onto her plate then set the platter back in front of her.

_Hey, why don't I eat now and workout why they want me here later?_ She thought picking up her knife and cutting one of her sausages then putting it into her mouth. It was heaven; some of the best food she had tasted in a long while.

After about an hour the students and teachers began to go to their first classes of the day. Shaddi had only filled her plate once not wanting to make a pig of herself. Which wasn't hard she had never been one to eat everything on the table, one plate was usually more than enough. Shaddi now sat watching the students watch her as they walked by.

**Harry's pov **

Harry looked at his watch and said "We should go or were going to be late for Transfiguration." The other two nodded and they stood up and began to leave the Great Hall, as they did like all the other students Harry looked at Shaddi as he walked by. When she looked at him both got a nice shock of pain Harry's in his scar and Shaddi's Dark Mark

Harry winched and his hand immediately flew to his forehead. Shaddi did nothing she just stared at Potter and then she relived that it was because of Potter that the pain had come.

"Harry what's wrong?" Hermione asked looking at him ignoring Shaddi's stair.

"I'll tell you later." He said knowing they were well within earshot of the young girl at the table. They left the Great hall quickly and once out Harry explained what happened.

"So when you looked at her your scar hurt. That's weird mate." Ron said as they moved up the stairs toward Professor McGonagall's class. He didn't always understand why; but he knew that when Harry's scare hurt that it wasn't good news.

**Hermione's pov **

"But I thought your scare only hurt when _You Know Who_ is near." She was trying to find some logic to the situation because she knew there was a good reason behind it.

"It does but if she has some kind of connection to him that could be it to. During our sorting when I looked at Snape, my scar hurt, I guess that was because he was a Death Eater." Harry said remembering that day.

_This is too weird there's no way she's a Death Eater she's too young._ Hermione thought.

**Shaddi's pov **

'What was that?' Shaddi thought as she dazed off with her head down. _All is not as it seems here in this place_' She wondered how much more to Harry Potter there was then met the eye, and a certain amount of books that she had read. _This will be interesting, too bad I cannot stay._


	5. The mask Removed

**Chapter five:****The mask removed**

Harry sat in Transfiguration they were mostly reviewing what had falling out of everyone's head over summer break; except for Hermione who of course sounded as if she had swallowed the textbook. Harry looked over at Hermione and was surprised to find her falling asleep. This confused him in every way because Hermione Granger just didn't fall asleep in class especially the first class of term. He took out a piece of parchment and wrote her a note then slid it to his left for her to read.

_Are you all right? You're like falling asleep, and __you __don't fall asleep in class, that's my job._

She hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and knew all that professor McGonagall was discussing at the moment. When Harry slid her the note she looked at it then scoffed and wrote.

_I didn't sleep much last night, I'll be fine._

Ron was sitting on the other side of Harry, had been watching them and rolled his eyes at her answer.

The three of them sat listening to Professor McGonagall and all seemed business as usual until Harry stole a glance at Hermione and saw that she was asleep. He looked at Ron and both boys gawked at their friend who never in her life had fallen asleep in class.

**Hermione's dream**

_Hermione dreamed that she was standing in a desert, which was calm and sunny. She turned around and around looking for some sign of, well, anything, anything to tell her where civilization was. Then she saw something odd. Standing not far from her was the girl that they had seen in the Great Hall. This seemed odd to Hermione, why would that girl be in the middle of the desert alone with her. Then the girl opened her mouth and a let out a horrible high-pitched scream. Then the girl fell to the ground unmistakably dead. Her body turned into three snakes one emerald green, one black, and one blood red. The snakes slithered away out of sight. At this Hermione spun to see nothing but blackness surrounding her and then..._

**End dream**

Hermione jerked awake to see Harry and Ron looking at her. Professor McGonagall hadn't noticed that she was asleep but they had awoken her just in time for at that moment the bell rang signaling lunch.

"What was that about? You never fall asleep, at least not in class." Ron said as they went down the stairs toward the Great Hall.

"I don't know, I didn't try to but it just happened." She said

"Well, try not to do it again if McGonagall would have caught you, well it wouldn't have been good." Harry said with a crazy grin.

As they entered Hermione at one looked at the high table to once again see the girl sitting there. _Who is she and why did I dream about her?_ She thought, wondering what the girls name was at the very least.

Once everyone had entered the great hall Dumbledore stood up.

"I trust you have all noticed that we have a guest present in the castle." He said waving his hand toward Shaddi. "This is Shaddi Ravencroft and she will be staying here for as long as I can persuade her to not go running out of the door." He smiled at this and looked at Shaddi who rolled her eyes and too smiled remembering that morning.

"I expect all of you to treat her with respect as she is our guest so let's show her Hogwarts as it best." Then he clapped his hands and the food appeared.

Shaddi was amazed at the change of the courses. They were so different from breakfast and there seemed to be if possible more. She looked at the many dishes in front of her and picked up a plate of which held macaroni and cheese. She took the spoon and put some on her plate then started to put other things on her plate. After a few minutes Dumbledore had engaged her in conversation and they were chatting merrily about nothing too important after Shaddi still had her mind set to leaving, and soon.

_If even one thing happens, shoot now and talk later._ This was mainly because her revolver still rested at her left side. She had become a little more comfortable here since that morning but still not enough to walk around without the gun. Even if she always carried her wand, which was a must do to everyone in the wizarding world. She was faster with the weapon, not too mentioning it was harder for wizards to doge the bullet then it was to block a curse.

Once she had finished lunch nearly all the other teachers had finished as well. Dumbledore turned to her and said "Would you like to accompany me on a walk?" he sounded like he wanted to talk to her away from the other people.

"Umm sure, I guess." the two stood and many of the student still in the hall watched as they left.

**Draco's pov**

_Well it looks like Dumbledore finally got a new pet_. He smirked evilly at this thought _She's rather good-looking I wonder how long she'll stay? Maybe I'll luck out and Dumbledore will have found a pureblood instead of the usual mudblood trash._

**Shaddi's pov**

The pair walked down the slopes of the Hogwarts grounds; Shaddi hadn't yet seen them in the daylight so it seemed to be an unfamiliar environment. She kept all of her senses open and alert. She had seen something of the grounds the night before when she ran from the werewolf and was caught only to be thrown through the window.

"So Shaddi." Dumbledore said as they walked toward the lake. They weren't the only people on the grounds the classes were about to begin and Shaddi could see some student gathering near a hut on the edge on the forest for what she assumed to be a lesson of some kind.

"Yes." She replied she wasn't good a small talk she was a get to the point person and hated it when people did the beat around the bush thing.

"Well I'll get to the point, I 'm not accusing you of anything but I feel as if what you told me last night wasn't entirely true. So please feel free to correct me if I am wrong but... you never went to Durmstrang did you?" He said with something so a smile.

"What makes you say that?" Shaddi said with sharpness in her voice, that was quite different from her normal smooth tone.

"Well you said that you went to Durmstrang at the end of last year's term you left but I happen to have visited Durmstrang at the end of last term and never once saw you there."

"Well their castle is not as large as this one but it's still a fairly large school and forgive me but I doubt you can remember everyone you see." She said knowing she was caught but still trying to keep her story from falling apart.

"No I can't remember everyone when I visit a place but I remember everyone who attends my school even if it was only for five years." He said catching her in the lie.

"Hehe opps." she hadn't thought of that little fact "Well I guess I'm busted aren't I." She said putting one hand behind her head and smiling.

"I would believe you are correct in your thinking." He said his smile back on his face.

"So why didn't you tell me you knew that last night? I mean you knew that whole I'm lost in this place routine was a big joke then, and I know you knew that this morning when I played lost. So why wait until now?" She asked now puzzled by his strange thinking.

"Simply because I wanted to see if you would figure out that I had known the whole time. It might have been a while since you ran with your friends here last, but I still remember that sixteen-year-old face. Speaking of which how did you keep that look all of these years you must be nearly thirty-six by now?" He wondered pointing out her real age.

"Ahh that is my little secret but I will say I haven't aged since I was sixteen but can grow up anytime I want." Her voice was sly and held a playful tone her old school girl self-coming very close to the surface.

"See now that the mask has been removed I can see the same Shaddi I remember form your school days." He commented seeing her face light up with the smile that had been neglected for years.

"Trust me Professor the mask is still here." She said her secretive voice returning to her now.


	6. Return to Your Past

**Chapter six: Return to you past**

That evening before dinner Dumbledore and Shaddi were heading back into the castle, as they reached the front doors Dumbledore stopped Shaddi.

"I have something to ask you." He said as she looked curiously at him.

"What is it Professor?" She asked very curious as to why they weren't going inside out of the cold night air.

"Well you never did finish school and seeing as it's the start of term I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind returning to the school as a student." As he finished this he smiled kindly at her, his blue eyes lit with fire.

"Are you kidding me? Return as a student." She said seeming unable to believe this was happening.

"Yes, If you don't want to I will more than understand but..." she cut him off

"I'd love to." She smiled at the shocked look on his face.

"Well... I didn't expect that. You can be sorted this evening unless you wish to return to you former house."

"Actually I would like to be sorted again; I would like that very much."

"Well then in we go." He said opening the door and standing aside for her to enter then entering himself. The pair move to the doors of the great hall Shaddi could already see the sorting hat sitting on it stood. Albus asked her to wait there while he announced her. He moved to his seat at the staff table and stood there looking at the school. The chatter died away as everyone looked at the headmaster.

"I have wonderful news." Dumbledore said to the school. "After nearly a 20 year absence a student is returning to the school, she will be resorted into your ranks and will be joining classes with you tomorrow. Miss Shaddi Ravencroft."

Shaddi entered and moved to the stool; she picked up the hat and set it down on her head. for the second time in her life the little voice rang in her ear.

_"Yes my dear I remember you, yes I'm tempted to put you back there, yes I am, but something has changed about you, yes your mush wiser. You have seen much, Hmm where to put you. I know."_

"Gryffindor!"

She heard the hat shout the last word and she took the hat off and found Professor McGonagall standing there in front of her as the Gryffindor table clapped in greeting. She moved off to the Gryffindor table as McGonagall took the hat away. Shaddi was scanning the table looking for an empty seat she found on next to the black haired boy she remembered from that morning.

"Mind if I sit here?" She said softly pointing to the chair, Harry shook his head no and she sat down.

"Welcome, welcome Shaddi, and now dinner." Dumbledore clapped his hands and the food appeared.

Shaddi looked around and began to put food on her plate. A girl the bushy brown hair was sitting in front of her, she also remembered this girl from that morning.

"Hermione Granger." She said extending her hand over the table to Shaddi.

"Shaddi Ravencroft." She said the name even though everyone knew who she was, it was polite.

"Harry Potter." The boy next to her said also shaking her hand.

"Ron Weasley." Ron said on the other side of Harry, he offered a wave rather than a hand shake, so he wouldn't have to reach over Harry. Shaddi smiled to him then turned to her food.

"So umm, are you muggle born," Hermione asked taking a sip of pumpkin juice. Shaddi smiled at the uneasiness of her voice.

"No, I'm pureblood, but dose that matter?" She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Not at all, I was just wondering because, well last night..." She stopped

"You pulled out a gun rather than a wand." Harry said finishing the statement. Shaddi giggled a bit at this.

"Yes, well I find it a lot harder for wizards and werewolves for that matter, to doge a bullet rather than block a curse. That and I'm just a little bit faster with the revolver, and I like the bang." She smiled at the word 'Bang' the group ate silently for a few moments. After a short while Ron asked.

"So do you have your school things?" Shaddi sat straight up at the question. She just realized she didn't have any of her things. The only things she did own if fact were in a very small house some miles away. And nothing that would work for here, other than of course her broom which she would need.

"No I don't, I'll need to talk to the Headmaster about that after dinner." She went back to her food. Not long after dinner was over. Shaddi stood up bid good night to the trio and made her way up toward the staff table, unknown to her she was being watched by more than one person. Draco Malfoy sat the Slytherin table looking daggers at the new found Gryffindor.

"Great just what this school needs another filthy Gryffindor." He said to Crabbe and Goyle, who were both still stuffing themselves before they had to leave. He rolled his eyes at them and stood.

"I'm going to the common room." And with that he left.

Shaddi reached the staff and table as she did Dumbledore turned to looked at her.

"Ah Miss Ravencroft, how can I help you?" He smiled kindly at her.

"Um, Professor I've only just realized, I don't any books, or a uniform for that matter." Dumbledore chuckled a bit.

"Yes well that would be a problem, but not to worry come see me before breakfast tomorrow and I will have everything you will need." He smiled and stood.

"Thank you, Headmaster." Shaddi said turning and leaving and following a group of Gryffindor fourth years up to her new common room. Once she entered the dormitory she saw Hermione standing next to her bed and she saw that there saw already a bed there for her. She smiled and moved over to the free bed which was placed next to Hermione's. She lay down to top of the blankets looking up at the ceiling with a slight smile on her face. Hermione appeared next to her. Shaddi looked at her.

"Um, I was wondering if I could ask you something." She said looking down at Shaddi.

"Go for it." Shaddi said putting her hands behind her head.

"Um well Dumbledore said that you haven't been at the school for almost 20 years, and I don't understand how that's possible when you're clearly no older than sixteen." Shaddi smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Don't believe everything you see. None the less I have my secrets, and I hope to keep them that way, secret." She still smiled she didn't seem annoyed by the question but her voice told Hermione not to push it.

"Ok, good night." Hermione said moving quickly to her bed. Shaddi sunk deeply into her pillows very happy to be back in the castle; for the right reason. Little did any of the girls know but there was a figure couched of the window ledge watching Shaddi threw the glass.

"Soon my dear you'll will return to your past; and I will be there waiting." It said with a male's voice then it vanished.


	7. A Serpent's Secret

**Chapter Seven: A serpant's secret**

Shaddi awoke the next morning to find the sun had just risen. She looked at her watch and saw it was 8:00 in the morning, just an hour before Breakfast. She got up picked her wand up off the bedside cabinet and tapped herself. At once her clothes changed again. A long crimson cloak black jeans and a blue t-shirt was today's out fit for now.

"Well let's go find Dumbledore." She said to herself as she swept out of the room the other girls were barely stirring. She moved out into the common room where the early risers were, and out threw the portrait. After about five minutes of remembering her way around, she found Dumbledore just entering the entrance a little way ahead of her.

"Headmaster!" She called moving quickly down the stairs.

"Ah Shaddi, good morning." He said with a smile.

"Good morning, I came to get my books, like you said." She said with a smile it felt so great to be back here.

"Of course I have it," He waved his wand. And a large trunk book bag and rack with 3 school uniforms appeared before her. "here."

"Brilliant." She said she opened the bag and saw her books already in there including her schedule, which she memorized but placed back in the bag non-the less, she looked over the uniform memorizing ever bit of it. Then she took out her wand and tapped herself and she appeared wearing it. Then she whispered something and the trunk and spare uniforms disappeared, reappearing in her dorm.

"Much better." the Headmaster said. "I see you haven't lost your skill, if anything you've gotten better with your charm work."

"Thank you, and thank you for my things." She said with a smile. By this time people were entering the great hall for breakfast.

"My pleasure, Well off you get." Dumbledore said moving into the great hall. Shaddi entered after him and moved to the Gryffindor table where she sat with her breakfast and her Arithmancy book. As it was her first class she thought she should brush up on what she may have forgotten or possibly changed over the years. As she sat with her book the famous trio entered as they moved up and saw her Ron let out a groan and said.

"Aww man not another Hermione type, reading at the breakfast table." Hermione glared at him and Harry snickered; she smiled and set her book aside.

"I was just brushing up on what I might have forgotten." They sat down. Hermione looked at the book

"OOoo your taking Arithmancy, great you'll be with me first lesson." She said with a smile

"Great if I forget everything someone will be there to bury me when I die of embarrassment." She said with a twisted smile.

"You'll be fine." Harry said, "What have you got after Arithmancy?"

"Double potions with the Slytherins."

"That's with us." Ron said "This will be yet another lesson of being trapped in a cold room with Draco Malfoy and Snape." He added not seeming too happy about it.

"Snape? Severus Snape?" Shaddi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, he's teaching potions. Why?" Hermione asked.

"Aww man this will be... interesting" She said still with her twisted smile.

"Why" Harry questioned a bit confused.

"I was in the same year as him when I was here last." She said simply "yes, same year and the same house. I was a Slytherin." She smirked at the memory as if it amused her.

"You were in Slytherin." Ron gawked

"You were at school with him, how horrible." Hermione said

"Not really, at least I didn't think so." She said in answer to Hermione's comment.

"Wait, you were at school in his year, that's what you just said right?" Harry said

"Yes I did."

"Then, did you know any Gryffindors?" He asked tentatively. Shaddi smiled.

"You mean to ask if I knew your parents, right?"

"Um, well yeah." a little bit of the color rose in Harry's face.

"Yes Harry, I knew them. I won't go, as far to say we were friends, because we weren't, but I knew them. I imagine if I had been anywhere but Slytherin we could have become friends, but no. However I will go as far to say that you're parents, and their friends. They were good people. I've never met nicer people, except Dumbledore but that's pretty much a given." She smiled kindly then looked at her watch "Oh we better go."

"Yes, yes don't want to be late." Hermione answered sounding as if she would die if she arrived late to a class. With that they bid Harry and Ron good day and left to their class.

For a moment Harry just sat there staring after them.

"Well that was different." Ron said quietly.

"Yes, it was." Harry agreed as they too got up to leave.

"Can you believe that she was in Slytherin."? Ron said quietly as they passed the Slytherin table.

Draco Malfoy sat near the end he was listening to Harry and Ron as he walked by, and he happen to hear what Ron said.

_So our new arrival was a Slytherin, we'll see what I can do with this information_. He thought this to himself as he too left for his morning class.

It didn't take long to reach the Arithmancy room, and for the whole class Shaddi sat listening with her notebook out. Not much seemed to have changed she remembered most of what the Professor was saying and felt good that she hadn't forgotten everything. Once the bell rang she packed up her things and went with Hermione down to lunch. As they passed the Slytherin table Draco Malfoy's hissing drawl reached Shaddi's ears.

"Yo Ravencroft." She looked at him so did Hermione "This doesn't concern you Mudblood." Both Girls glared at him.

"Go on Hermione, I'll be there soon." Shaddi whispered giving her a little nudge so she would move on. Shaddi moved down the table to Malfoy. "Can I help you?" She asked when she reached him; her voice was monotone and her eyes cold.

" Well you certainly can, you can tell me if the rumors are true, were you really a Slytherin?" His eyes sparkled with malice.

"Yes I was, but I don't see what that has to do with the here and now."

"Why did you ever wish to be resorted, and into that mess." His eyes darted over to the Gryffindor where a few of them were watching.

"Because I got sick of being in the company of evil little snakes like you." The whole hall had gone quite and although she had not raised her voice everyone heard the statement. Shaddi turned her back on him and went over to the Gryffindor table where many of the students hiss complements to her for so excellently shutting up Malfoy. Draco however didn't look so happy.

"You'll pay for that wench." He whispered under his breath and returned to his lunch.

The rest of lunch went off without event, and soon it was time for potions. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had explained all about Malfoy to Shaddi. They told her that he was self-proclaimed king of the Slytherins and pretty much walked over everyone who let him. Shaddi thought that her positions lesson would only get more interesting considering what she had said.

The group set up their cauldrons so that they were all next to and in front or behind someone else from their little group. Shaddi next Hermione and Harry next to Ron Behind the girls. Unfortunately for Shaddi she was next to and empty spot as well. And of course who else took it but Draco Malfoy. Shaddi ignored his presence as he set up his cauldron next to her. Not long after everyone was set up Snape walked in. He darted his black eyes around the class and they stopped for the briefest so seconds on Shaddi then he began to speak.

"Today we will be preparing the blood moon potion, Can anyone tell me what that is?" Naturally Hermione's hand was up in a flash but to a few people's surprise it wasn't the only one, Shaddi's hand also was up. Snape looked at them "Miss Granger."

"The Blood Moon Potion, is a potion used to render an attacking vampire totally powerless." She sounded like live in a textbook but that's Hermione.

"Yes, now can any one of you come up here and write _all_ the proper ingredients on the board correctly, and if you say you can and they are not correct I will not be happy, now who can do it." Again Hermione's hand shot into the air and again Shaddi's accompanied it. "Miss Ravencroft." Snape said standing aside showing the black board to her. Shaddi stood and moved up to the board picked up to chalk and began to write the ingredients. While she did she could feel Snape's breathe on the back of her neck and feel him staring at her. The class behind them seemed to be holding at breath. Shaddi finished and set the chalk down then turned and moved back to her seat. Snape stood looking at the board then spoke again.

"Well, Miss Ravencroft this is completely and utterly..." He paused enjoying the look of the student's faces. Shaddi stayed calm if it was wrong then it was wrong. "Correct." He whispered the last word as if it were forbidden.

"At least there is someone in here who can avoid showing stupidity when put on the spot." Then he began to explain to the class how the potion should look and how to know when it was done then he set them off and began to prowl the class breathing down people's necks as they prepared there potions.

This was not fun in any way for Neville who wasn't good at potions anyway. He successfully managed to make his potion, which should have been pitch black, a sickly acid looking orange. Snape looked at this seeming to avoid the urge to ring the boys neck a he cowered looking at his professor. Then Snape looked at Shaddi and Hermione who were both putting their potions into vials and were the first ones finished.

"Granger, Ravencroft." He snapped, they jumped a bit and they looked at him. "Come help Longbottom attempt to save this mess." With that be began to prowl once more leaving Neville very close to tears; the girls quickly moved over and looked at the damage.

"Oh dear, Neville how did you do this." Hermione asked kindly looking at the acidic looking liquid

"I think we might be able to save it, all is not lost." Shaddi said laying a hand on Neville's shoulder "We'll fix it." Neville gave her a weak but grateful smile. It took the entire rest of the class but eventually under Hermione and Shaddi's careful watch. The girls told Neville what ingredients to put into his potion and by the time the bell rang he had put the stopper into a vial full of black liquid.

"I don't know how to thank you two." He said as they left for dinner in the great hall.

"Don't worry about it." Hermione said

"It's not a big deal." Shaddi added.

"Oh but it is, Shaddi you don't know how I get when I'm in Professor Snape's classes." Neville whispered his voice squeaking a little.

"I think I just saw a demonstration, but just remember, it's just a class, just another day." She smiled and her and Hermione sat down with Ron and Harry while Neville joined Seamus Finnigan and Dean Tomas.

"Well that was an interesting class." Ron said as he piled food onto his plate. Shaddi was just about to start doing the same when she caught a glimpse of something black standing behind her. She looked around and saw Severus Snape standing there.

"Hello Miss Ravencroft I was wondering if I could have a word with you? In my office, now." He said looking directly at her and no one else.

"Yes, Professor." She said still remembering their conversation from the day before. She stood up and followed Snape from the hall. Many of the students stared as they vanished threw the doors.


	8. Bonds and Blood

**Chapter Eight: Bonds and Blood**

Snape lead Shaddi out of the Great Hall into the hall, then down the staircase into the dungeons. Once in his office Snape sat down at his desk and motioned for Shaddi to take the seat opposite him; she did waiting and wondering what this was about.

"I'll get straight to the point. I now realized where you stood as far as the inner circle goes. When we all ran as Death Eaters, and I am completely amazed that aren't dead at this very moment." Shaddi just stared at him.

"This surprises me because you were very closely watched by the Dark Lord. He made sure you stayed in line, and when you didn't; well it was painful. However our past dealing with the Dark Lord are not why I brought you down here, however it dose have something to do with the past."

"Yes?" She said looking at him with no emotion in her face.

"Why did you leave the school after fifth year?" His voice was low most unlike the voice of hate he commonly had. She didn't answer right away. She sat remembering the day so clearly. She jerked herself from her memory and looked to Snape.

"Look Sever.. Um Professor, There is a reason, but at this time it's one I still don't feel comfortable sharing. So please not now, in time I'll tell you but not now." She had her eyes on his desk now not wanting to see Severus' disappointed eyes.

"Ok I can understand that, but I'll hold you to your word on telling me. Now let talk about something else."

"What?" Shaddi asked.

"You're turning into a Gryffindor on me." He said sarcastically with a smile.

"Well I wanted something different this time, I don't want the Death Eater Rep. I already have. I thought going somewhere other than Slytherin would be a good start." She smiled

"Ok then well lets go back up and try to salvage our dinner."

"Good Idea." Shaddi said standing up and heading toward the door.

"And Shaddi." She turned quickly it was the first time since her arrival that he had addressed her by her first name. "Good luck on your turn around." He said moving out the door ahead of her. Looking after him she shut the door and ran after him.

"Wait up!" he stopped and waited then they headed up the dinner together.

They got many odd stairs as they entered, this was mostly because Shaddi had just said something that made Severus smile, a true smile that the school rarely saw. They parted Shaddi heading for the Gryffindor table and Snape going to the Staff table.

"What was that about?" Ron asked as Shaddi sat down. The deserts had already appeared on the table.

"It was nothing." She lied as she grabbed a small amount of food and tried to get some food in before bed.

Shaddi managed to get in a fair amount of food before the plates cleared signaling bedtime. The group stood and headed off toward the entrance hall. But before they could reach it a voice called, one they all knew and didn't like.

"Hey Ravencroft." Malfoy called for the second time in a day. Shaddi thought about ignoring him and continuing to walk, but no, that would be rude. If he pissed her off she could tell him off with an excuse for doing it then leave. She moved down the table to the familiar face of Draco Malfoy.

"Yes, Draco?" She said without even a hint of emotion in her voice.

"Well I was just meaning to ask you how your friends were back at their coven." While this comment made no sense to anyone else, including Dumbledore. It made Shaddi furious. She took one step closer to Malfoy and sucker punched him in the face so hard he fell backward onto the stone floor.

"Don't you dare talk about what you have no business in!" She screamed at him as his nose began to bleed. Then she turned on him and left the hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione trying to keep up with her.

"Shaddi wait!" Ron called

"Please! Tell us what that was about." Hermione said as Shaddi stopped outside the Fat Lady's Picture. She sighed and turned to them.

"It's just something about my past; I don't even know how he found out about it." She shook her head "I doesn't matter its dead news, unless he digs it up again." She gave the password and headed into the dorm.

"I'll talk to her." Hermione said as she Ron and Harry entered.

"Ok but Hermione, don't upset her." Harry said

"Yea you might end up like Malfoy." Ron added, Hermione nodded and went up the stairs to find the curtains of Shaddi's bed Drawn. The room was completely silent.

"Shaddi." Hermione said carefully.

"Yes." Shaddi said

"Um do you want to talk about why Malfoy got you so angry, why that memory is so painful."

"No."

"Ok." And with that Hermione went back down shaking her head. Harry and Ron shrugged and they sat down next to the fire. No one was really tired so the common room was pretty full. Up in the Dorm Shaddi had no idea the figure was once again sitting on the window ledge.

"It's time." He whispered. He brought up and pail had and waved it over the place where the lock was on the other side of the glass, it clicked and the window swung open. Shaddi hear the click and knew there had been no one in the dorm. She pulled back her curtains saw the man and gasped.

"Hello Shaddi." He said she quickly got up and ran toward the door but in an instant he appeared in front of her. "Now did you think it would be that easy?" He grabbed she throat, she let out a scream as loud and long as she could. Everyone in the Common room froze looking at the dormitory door. "You wench!" The man yelled and he threw her out the door and down the stairs into the common room.

She looked up at him from the floor and reached for her wand and realized it was on her nightstand, and her revolver was locked in her trunk. He appeared in front of her and lifted her off her feet and slammed her into the wall. His shoulder length wavy Black hair shinning agents his moon white skin.

"Now my dear, I'm going to rob this place of you, once again. He put his mouth to her neck and she screamed again. Professor McGonagall hearing the first scream was already on her way in. She blasted the man who landed on the stairs. He looked at her then to Shaddi and said,

"Another time perhaps." then vanished. Shaddi laid a crumpled heap on the floor with two holes in her neck. Professor McGonagall ran over to her as she sat up.

"My dear are you alright?" She said then she saw the mark and gasped. "He was a vampire." Shaddi nodded Mcgonagall helped her stand up and told everyone to go to the great hall; then escorted a very Shaken Shaddi from Gryffindor tower to the Hospital wing.

It wasn't long before the Gryffindor were joined by the rest of the school and not long after the teachers and Shaddi who had been healed but still looked pale from blood loss. Dumbledore addressed the school.

"Everyone is to remain here until we can be certain that our intruder it no longer within the castle." The teacher's left and Shaddi sat down on the end of the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron and Hermione ran over to her.

"Are you alright?" Harry said sitting next to her

" Yea, I'm going to be ok." She said quietly looking at the table.

"Shaddi did you know that man?" Ron asked.

"Ha man, he is hardly a man. But knew him yea I knew him." She said her voice bitter and cold even worse than when she had shouted at Malfoy.

"Well it seems I was right." Draco's voice came from Shaddi's right the group looked at him except for Shaddi who kept staring at the table.

"Shove it Malfoy." Harry said

"Oh are you protecting you new girlfriend Potter, she can do better then you." Malfoy said with a sneer.

"With who, you? I don't think so." Hermione said

"Who said a word to you filthy mudblood?' He said well that was it. Ron and Harry both jumped on him and began to beat his furiously with their fists. And at that Shaddi stood.

"Knock it off!" She yelled all three boys looked at her just as the teacher's came back. "Look no one is impressed by your constant bickering. As for you Malfoy this is none of you business and if you've come over here to insult me then keep your insults with me and leave the rest out of it." Dumbledore cleared his throat. Everyone in the hall looked at him.

"Thank you Miss. Ravencroft, I'm sorry to announce that the intruder has escaped. None the less I wish for you to join me in my office please. The rest of you may return to your houses." He turned and left. Professors McGonagall and Snape waited to escort Shaddi to the Head Master's office.

Shaddi took one last look at Malfoy and then left with the teachers on either side of her.


	9. History Unfolds

**Chapter nine: History unfolds**

Shaddi stepped onto the rising staircase behind Professor McGonagall while Professor Snape followed. When the doors opened Shaddi saw the headmaster sitting behind his desk with his fingers interlocked and his chin resting on them.

"Please sit down Shaddi." He said. Shaddi sat in the chair that was in front of his desk. He remained silent for a moment while the teachers stood near the door. "Shaddi I would like you tell me everything that happened tonight. I have some supposition that you incident with Mr. Malfoy had something to do with the vampire in your Dormitory did it not?"

"Yes, it did." She said staring at the floor.

"Ok well I need to know what went on." He said his voice calm.

"Ok well it's a really long story going back to the end of my fifth year."

"Well we have all the time in the world." He said with a smile.

"Ok well first of all I would like to say." She turned in her chair and looked at Snape "I'm going to answer your question now; it is part of the story." Snape nodded. She turned back toward Dumbledore and began.

"Well basically this whole thing started at the end of my fifth year here at Hogwarts, it was after the train journey home. See at that time I lived alone, I didn't have a family they had disappeared a few years before and I flat refused an orphanage. So I was walking to my house which was empty, there was nothing to go home to." At this Shaddi stood and began to pace around the room unable to sit still any longer.

"Well I was almost to my door I even had my keys in my hand. And I got jumped by, you guessed it, vampires. Two of them, one was Jordan whom Professor McGonagall has already seen. Jordan was coven ruler. The other was Lady Cheza, just as strong as Jordon and second in command of the coven. They grabbed me right outside my door and dragged me off their little piece of hell. The whole coven only existed of around a dozen of them. This was the reason Draco's comment made me so angry." She paused looking out the window behind Dumbledore's desk.

"For five years I stayed there, made into a human blood bar." Everyone in the room but Shaddi went white.

"They fed on you." McGonagall said seeming revolted at the idea.

"Yes, well you can only think about what that was like. It took me Five years but I finally got the energy and one day while they slept I made a break for it. I didn't even make it five miles before dark, as the sun cast a red glow over everything I thought 'That's it there going to come and now, I done for.' But that's not the way it happened, because they never found me." She stopped brining a hand to her face she hated this.

"Shaddi, please what happened?" Dumbledore asked, coming around his desk and leaning on it.

"When night fell the vampires didn't find me, but I wish they had. No it was Lord Voldermort who found me." Snape and McGonagall twitched at the name.

"However everything about my meeting with the Dark Lord was not bad. No because he gave me back what the vampires had taken from me. A wand. He restored to me what I had lost and more than that; he promised that I never would be in a defenseless position again. And I served under him until about sixteen years ago when I realized that it wasn't right and my own selfishness had caused the deaths of many a witch, wizard and muggle. I realized I had to get out. For a year I thought how to do it each idea as feeble as the last. Then he did it for me. He did it when he killed the Potters, when he fell. Like so many others I fled, I was one of the few never caught. For years I avoided the ministry the vampires and everything at all. Until most recently when I found myself face to face with a werewolf and was thrown back to my past amid glass and rain and one very large werewolf. I wouldn't be left defenseless, I raised my gun, which is to this day is filled with silver bullets, and I killed him. That's all there is. I'm here with you, but in reality I'm alone like I always have been."

As She finished she could be found leaning agents the windowsill next to the fireplace. Everyone in the room was quite. Snape was the first one to move over to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"So that was why you stayed young isn't it." Dumbledore said, "The vampire's they had bitten you so much your ageing process stopped. But that doesn't explain something."

"What?" She said turning to look at him.

"You told me yesterday that you could grow up anytime you wanted, if the vampire bites stopped your ageing process how could you grow up." He seemed confused "Unless you learned how to control it." Shaddi smiled

"That is exactly what happened in these last 15 years I haven't had much to do in the way of entertainment so I perfected that one skill." She waved her hand across her face.

Her figure changed she got taller by about 6 inches. Her hair turned pure platinum blond and lengthened a bit, stress lines marred parts of her face. But apart from that not much changed she was still quite thin and looked very much like the 16 years old who had been there a moment before.

"You see, instantly 20 years pass before your eyes." She smiled and brought she hand back across her face returning her 16 year old self. "I like this one much better besides I don't want the school to know. Not yet. So that's all there is to tell, there is no more."

"Well I see why you didn't want to tell me why you left school." Snape said still standing next to her.

"Yes I also see why you tried to lie your way right out the front door your first day back." Dumbledore said "Well you may return to your dormitory if you wish. What you have told us will never leave this room, I swear." His eyes sparkled with that fire that just made you trust the man.

"Yes I will take you back to Gryffindor tower." Professor McGonagall said still standing next to the door.

"Ok good idea." Shaddi said happy that someone finally knew even if it hurt to remember.

"Good night Shaddi." Dumbledore said

"Good Night Professor." Shaddi said as she and the teachers left.

Snape accompanied them to the stairs where he when down and they went up. Professor walked her right into Gryffindor tower the Common room was totally empty. She bid her teacher good night and went up to the dorm where every one of the girls was awake and waiting for her. From The moment she got in the door they began plundering her with question.

"Who was that?"

"Why was he here?"

"Will he come back?" Shaddi wouldn't answer anybody finally she managed to get them quite enough to tell them all she wanted was to go to sleep and she might answer questions in the morning. The she ran to her bed and closed the drapes. She fell back onto her pillows and fell into a nightmare filled sleep.

_She was walking through the great hall her hands bound and wand gone. The Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was there. She realized she was on trial and that she was wearing the robes of Azkaban. She had been found out. She looked around and the whole school as watching her. She looked to the Staff table and saw that Severus was crying, silent tears running down his face. She looked back at Fudge._

_"Shaddi Ravencroft, you have been charged with service to the Dark Lord in his time of power, yoi have been further charged with the deaths of 17 witches and wizards and 10 muggles, how do you plea?"_

_"Not guilty." She said calmly._

_"Liar." Harry voice rang he was standing and yelling at Shaddi while Ron and Hermione held him back. "You were there, you saw him go in there, you knew what he meant to do to them, to knew what he meant to do to me." His friends forced him down._

_"That isn't true." Shaddi said desperately._

_"It is true." said a voice from behind her, and she looked toward the door she had come through. And she saw Jordan leaning agents the doorframe. "And I can prove it."_

_"Then do so." Fudge said_

_Jordon appeared next to Shaddi he brought her hand up to his mouth and bit the rope that was there. Then he forcefully grabbed her left arm and tore the sleeve from it with her hand then lifted it into the air._

_"There, his mark branded into her flesh." Jordan said with a twisted smile on his face._

_"Well I do believe that is plenty. All in favor of life in Azkaban." the whole of the school raised their hands except Snape who was looking at the floor in horror._

_"Shaddi Ravencroft I find you guilty, get her away from me!" With that the room went dark as the torches went out and Demmentors filed in grabbing at her._

_"No, No NOOOOOOOOOOO!"_

Shaddi Screamed and fell from her bed hitting the hard floor and shaking horribly. She could hear someone speaking softly to her. It was Hermione, she helped her off the floor and back into bed where Shaddi fell back to sleep.


	10. Quidditch

**Chapter Ten: Quidditch **

Shaddi sat up looking around the dorm and saw that's the grandfather clock on the wall said it was 8:30 A.M.

"Ok time to get up." She said slowly dragging herself from her warm bed and into the chill of the dormitory's air, she shivered and quickly grabbed her wand and tapped herself, appearing into her school uniforms rather than her pajamas.

"That's better." She noticed that Hermione's bed was empty and some of the other girls were waking up. She quickly left trying to avoid being questioned about the night before. No such luck. As she went down to the common room many of the younger boys ganged up on her trying to convince her to answer them. Finally Ron and Harry came forward and helped her get out of the Common room by parting the crowd. Once they were in the hall she felt like she could breathe.

"Thanks." She said to the boys.

"No problem." Harry said.

"Yea no one likes to be ganged up on." Ron added. Shaddi nodded to that and the three of them began to head down to the Great Hall. Once they entered they spotted Hermione at the Gryffindor. Shaddi looked at the Slytherin table where Draco was opening his mouth. She threw him a looked and walked right past without even a nod more. If he called her over today she would ignore him.

"Good morning." Hermione said as they sat down. Shaddi stayed quite while Harry and Ron reciprocated Hermione's greeting. She couldn't think of how that git Malfoy found out about Jordan and the coven. It just didn't make any since.

For a while the day's passed rather uneventfully and soon it was time For the Gryffindor Quidditch team to get new beaters and chasers for the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, which would take place one month later. Harry had flatly refused the captains position as he didn't want more work added on top of his classes, this made Ron captain.

"Alright Harry new team tryouts are tonight on the pitch, I only hope we get a team who can play." Ron said not looking as if his hopes were high.

"Hey Ron, don't worry you'll find people." Hermione said Harry nodded in agreement. Shaddi said nothing but continued with her breakfast. That evening Harry and Ron entered the pitch to find a small group of Gryffindors already there among theme holding on to a nimbus 2001 was...

"Shaddi?" Ron said looking at her.

"Yes." she side looking up at him.

"You play Quidditch?" Harry said sounding happy about it.

"Beater." She said quite tonelessly.

"You any good?" Ron asked seeming in shock.

"I'm alright." She gave a shrug as Ron addressed the rest.

"Ok I want to see your best I want all beater auditions over here and all Chasers over there." The group separated at his words. Ok so here it is, I'm going to chose three of the chasers at once and have you pass the Quaffle around then try to get it passed me. Once we run a chaser drill I'll have the beaters run a drill with Harry. everyone ok with the plain?" The groups nodded. "Ok you, you, and you; up first." He had chosen two fourth years and a third year. He mounted his broom threw the 3rd year the quaffle and went up to one of the golden goops. "Alright, go!" He called back. The chasers passed the quaffel back and forth rather well until they reached Ron one of the 4th years got it and went for the shot, as he made to throw it in and slipped from his hand and went speeding for the ground. One of the others caught it and seamlessly put it up however Ron caught it. The 4 of them went for the ground and when they landed Ron said.

"That wasn't too bad, now I want two beaters to run a drill with Harry and then well take that last team of chasers and the team of beaters and run bolt drills. So you and you Harry is going to dive as if he sees the snitch and you have to try to hit him with a bludger, got it." The 5th year boy nodded and so did Shaddi. They mounted their brooms and took to the air Shaddi rising quickly with her club in her hand. She looked down and saw the bludgers shoot up toward them. Harry flew by and up then he dove. The pair rocked toward the bludgers. the 5th years knocked the bludger toward Harry but was way off. Shaddi tracked the bludger for a moment waiting for her shot then. BANG. Harry had to barrel roll clean over to miss being hit. Ron called them down as he took out his wand and summoned the bludgers back to the box. Harry looked at Shaddi who was smiling slightly.

"You nearly hit me." He said jokingly

"Well that is the idea." She said

"Ok now that team of beaters and the team of chasers, I want all of you in the air. Harry and I will both be up there and now Beaters you must wacth the goal and the seeker when Harry sees the snitch get him and when the chasers try to score get them. Chasers you must avoid the bludgers while trying to score. Ok lets go." The 7 of them took to the air. Harry and Shaddi rising and the bludgers shoot up after them. The chasers flew toward the goal but found themselves dodging bludgers from Shaddi who was quite good. The fifth year didn't have very good aim but could swing he began to get into his stride and made the chasers watch him as much as Shaddi. After a few Harry got board and tested the Beaters. He dove Shaddi saw the quick movement and looked then bolted after him and soon sent the bludger straight at him. He looked and sped up enough only to clear it by the tail of his broom. Ron called them down and set up new teams, then started the process over again Chasers, Beaters and both, then again. After about three hours everyone had gone.

"Ok I will post a flyer on the message board in the common room when I have made my decision so watch for you names. Good night." Ron said Shaddi began to leave once she reached the gates to the pitch Harry and Ron came up to her.

"I might want to watch what I say to you or you might hit me with your club, you certainly can swing that thing." Ron said looking at her impressed.

"Well I'm nothing special." She said not wanting to seem like a glory hog, truth was she just loved to play she didn't like the attention that came with winning.

"Yea well I only hope I'm never again on the wrong of a bludger you hit, there lethal." Harry said

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes "I certainly wasn't the only good on out there, That fourth year she was rather good, Um Rasputin, yes she was ok."

"Yes but we want the best, we want to put Slytherin to shame." Ron said sounding like the very idea was enjoyable.

"But she has a point there were some very good players out there, not only beaters but chasers too." Harry said as they entered the entrance hall. They continued up stairs and threw the fat lady's picture, where they found Hermione in the common room doing Transfiguration homework.

"So how was it?" She said looking up at the three of them as they came closer and sat down.

"Great I think this year's team will be really strong." Harry said sounding confident.

"Yea there are a lot of good players out there." Shaddi said looking out the window sounding a bit distracted.

"Yea she was one of them." Ron said to Hermione nodding his head toward Shaddi. "She flies almost as well as Harry does and that's saying a lot, considering Harry was the youngest seeker in a hundred years.

"Ron stop it, there were plenty of beaters out there tonight better than myself." Shaddi said as some of the other beaters that had auditioned walked by.

"Yeah right." one of the girls said

"You put us all to shame." Said her friend, as they went up the girls staircase.

"Whatever, I'm going to bed." She said standing shouldering her broom and going up the stairs, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione alone together.

"Was she really that good?" Hermione said with a raised eye brow.

"Yes!" Both boys said at once.

"Hermione you should have seen her, she almost hit Harry." Ron pointed out "That is not easy to do, you know that."

"Did she?"

"Yes." Harry said.

"Well if she is that good she would be excellent on the team agents Slytherin." Hermione said now speaking and doing homework at the same time.

"Yes; oh how I would love to see her take out her frustration on a bludger at Malfoy." Ron said then roared with laughter, that Harry joined in with. Hermione herself chuckled at the thought of Malfoy falling from his broom due to Shaddi.

"Well now that I've finished I think I'll be off to bed too." Hermione said gathering up her finished essay and heading up to the dorm. Not long after the boys still talking about the auditions went up to bed too.

For the next week and a half the Gryffindor's who tried out of the Quidditch team were watching for the notice but none came, Ron was astounded to find Shaddi was one of the few who never asked him if he had decided. Finally on Wednesday the notice went up. Shaddi came back from the library with Hermione and was deafened by the screaming. The Gryffindor's greeted her with cheering and tugged her into quickly then pushed her over to the board where Ron had put up the notice. She guessed they wanted her to read it. She looked at the paper tacked there.

_**To all who tried out for Quidditch.**_

_I saw many great Players but we only needed five of you so here you are._

_Chasers_

_Cate Bishop_

_Sandy Walker_

Greg Rasputin

_Beaters_

_1. Christy Bishop_

_2. Shaddi Ravencroft_

_I thank you all for your additions and for those how have made the team first Practice tomorrow, Thursday 8:00 pm on the pitch._

_Ron Weasley _

_Quidditch captain._

Shaddi knew the Bishops were sisters in the sixth year however they were the only ones she actually knew. As for her making the team she was quite pleased. She smiled and pushed her way back through the crowd over to a chair where she sat.

"Well?" Hermione said coming over to her and sitting in the chair next to her.

"I made it." Shaddi said tonelessly but with a slight smile.

"Great, from what Harry and Ron told me, you're very good."

"Nothing special anyway I want to get to bed, I'm a bit tired." With that she got up and moved off to the dorm. Once up there she changed and lay on her bed in the dark and quite. She was quite happy to be playing Quidditch again but against a house she once belonged to. And even more agents the house Severus was the head of. This would prove to be interesting, very interesting indeed. After a while of thinking of when she was at school doing the opposite of what she did now. Thinking of how she used to help put the Gryffindor house to shame, she drifted off into sleep.


	11. Blood, Bludgers and Beatings

**Chapter Eleven: Blood, Bludgers and Beatings **

The four Gyrfindors were waking up over breakfast when Professor Snape stalked over to their table and sneered down at Shaddi.

"Miss Ravencroft, I would like to see you in my office in ten minutes." He stalked out before she could ask any questions. The quartet looked at one another for a moment then went back to eating. Shaddi quickly finished and packed up quickly. She didn't have any idea why Severus would want to see her so close to the beginning of morning classes.

When she arrived at his office she stood for a second before she knocked; however before her hand had even touched the door Snape's voice rang out. "Enter!"

She opened the door and stepped in; she took the seat in front of his desk and waited. For a few moments they just looked at each other. Finally Shaddi spoke, "You wanted to see me Professor?" He made an impatient sound.

"Shaddi, we are the same age and not around any real students, please do not call me 'Professor'." She apologized. "I wanted to see you about last night."

"What about it?" She asked darkly.

"I'm worried; I know very well you can take care of yourself. However," He paused and stood moving around the desk to stand in front of her. "I will not stand by and do nothing while you are assaulted at this school. Not knowing what you have gone through." She looked at him amazed, he hadn't seen her since the year the Dark Lord fell, and hadn't spoken to her since school, and still he cared about her.

"Severus I…" She was cut off when she found herself unable to speak, the words stolen from her mouth by his wand.

"I will not allow it. No get to class!" The teacher in him was back, Shaddi quickly left without saying a word.

Shaddi moved very fast up the stairs into the entrance hall then out onto the grounds, she found Hagrid and the class at the edge of the forest. She skid to a halt at the back of the group. She didn't know what the lecture was on but she didn't care she was too busy trying to think clearly about what had just happened. She didn't see Harry carefully slid to the back of the group where she was and when he whispered,

"What happened?" into her ear, she almost screamed.

"Nothing." She lied quickly she knew he didn't believe her, but it was unimportant. She was still thinking back to the classroom, then back to her days at school. She smiled at the thought of the looks on the trio's faces if she told them what just happened. She wouldn't of course tell them anything, after all if was her business not theirs.

At the end of the class on their way to dinner Harry asked her again. "So what happened?" Ron and Hermione looked eager to know as well.

"Nothing happened, he just wanted to talk to me about something." They let it drop there as they entered the Great Hall. Shaddi looked up at the staff table she saw Severus looking down at her he left on his usual scowl she merely flipped her hair; which she had taken down in Care of Magical Creatures, and continued to talk with the rest. Once they sat down Ron pointed out something.

"Quidditch practice today should be after dinner."

"Yes, I remember." Shaddi said. "Then at 11:00 we have Astronomy." She said remembering her schedule. All of a sudden chills ran down her back. She tuned in her seat and looked out the window behind her. There wasn't anything there. Her breathing was a bit faster than usual and she could have sworn that she had seen someone out there. She decided she was being paranoid and went back to dinner. It seemed no one had noticed her odd behavior. However that wasn't totally true.

At the staff table Severus Snape had seen perfectly well the actions of his dear young friend. He looked out the window where she had been looking and also saw nothing but he like Shaddi could fell something was wrong, he didn't like the feeling.

Once she had finished her dinner Shaddi told Harry and Ron she was going to get her broom and would meet them on the pitch.

"Alright see you." Harry said as she left the hall. Little did Shaddi know that she was being watched and not only by Severus Snape but by Jordan. He had been sitting on the window ledge but and sensed her and left now he was waiting in the girls dorm for Shaddi as he knew she would to come up. Shaddi gave the password at the portrait and then went in. She ran up the stairs to the dorm and then stepped over to her trunk. Then he grabbed her with one hand over her mouth and the other around her waist she was unable to get away.

"Now my dear I know about you and your dear friend Severus. Do remember your mine, you belong to me. Now I will be back and if you tell even a soul that I'm watching over you I will kill you and whomever to tell. Keep that in mind." He grabbed her left wrist and pulled back the sleeve. "And do remember I could have killed you this evening." He sunk his fangs into her wrist drawing the blood. Then he stopped throwing her back so she landed on the floor. "Now get to you practice, and remember, not a soul." Then he vanished. Shaddi looked at her wrist there was very little blood there. She quickly got up tore a piece of her sheets and wrapped her wrist then threw open her trunk and grabbed not only her broom and beater's club, but her belt with the revolver. She put the belt on and then made sure the revolver was covered with her jacket that she put on over her robes. She zipped up the front of the jacket, just in case then ran out with her broom in hand.

As she made her way to the pitch, visibly shaken, and her wrist sneered with pain. She mounted her broom and flew into the air; she had been the first to arrive. Flying was a good thing right now she felt free of the world. She swung her club at the empty air releasing the built up tension she now felt. She didn't want to kill someone if she hit then with a bludger. Very soon the rest arrived and Ron called Shaddi down.

She landed in front of them, and then Ron began to explain the plans for their game against Slytherin. Then they took to the air. For close to an hour they ran their drills and Shaddi had lost realization of everything except the plays until she looked at the stands and saw him standing there. Jordan silhouetted against the night sky then... Crack, Shaddi slid off her broom and fell toward the earth and knew no more.

Shaddi felt something as she came around. She felt horrible. She opened her eyes and saw the team milling around her.

"What happened?" She said sitting up and holding her head.

"You were hit, nasty bludger too." Ron said he and Harry were each on either side of her bed. The rest of the team was there as well as Severus Snape. She looked at him quite confused.

"I saw Potter and Weasley drag you in." He said in explanation. She remembered Jordan and looked at her wrist the bandage was still there. She hoped they hadn't seen the bite. She tried to get up but Harry made her sit down.

"You can't leave until Madam Pomfery says you're ok to go." He said making sure she didn't try to stand.

"It's alright dear she'll be stiff for a few hours, but she can go." The nurse said from the other side of the room.

"I need to see the Headmaster." Shaddi said quickly getting up and heading for the door. Severus followed her she hoped he was just going back to his quarters in the Dungeons but no such luck.

"Shaddi wait! What happened I know you're not one to absent mindedly get hit by a bludger, you're better than that." She stopped and turned to him.

"I really need to go speak with the Headmaster; I'll talk with you later." She turned and nearly ran from him up the corridor. She flew up toward Dumbledore's office then slid to a halt outside the stone Gargoyle. "Kit Kat." She said and the Gargoyle leapt aside and she ran up the staircase. She knocked a bit harder than she meant to but none the less Albus Dumbledore's voice rang out.

"Cone in." She stepped into the office shut the door the turned to Dumbledore. "Shaddi what brings you here?" He asked offering her the chair in front of his desk. She sat down.

"Headmaster I have something I need to speak with you about, however I'm not sure it would be wise if I did." She wanted to tell him everything that had happened this evening but was afraid if she did Jordan might hurt the old man.

"Why ever would you think it unwise?" He said looking at her attentively.

"Because I have been threatened along with anyone I tell, if I relay to you this information we could both be killed." She said her eyes fixed on the desk and her head down.

"Well I do believe that that makes it very important, and you should tell me anyway, we will worry about how we will die later." She looked up at him sighed them began.

"After dinner this evening I went up to get my broom for the first Gryffindor quidditch practice. Well when I got to the dormitory someone was already there." She paused.

"Go on." He said

"Well it turned out to be Jordan, and he said that I belonged to him and that he would be back." She lifted her sleeve and removed the sheet. "Then he bit into my wrist and said if I told anyone I and who ever I told would be killed." Albus looked over her bite.

"Is there anymore to tell?" He asked letting go of her hand then looking up at her.

"Yes, I went to practice and all went well until I glanced over at the stands and I saw him there. Well I froze for a second then was hit by a bludger and fell I only just woke up in the hospital wing." As she ended her story she continued to look at the desk.

"Well I do believe that was worth telling me. I thank you for trusting me. But I do have a question. What was his reason for claiming you?" She looked up at him. She was very near tears and she knew he wanted to know about Severus.

"Um.. well, you remember when I was here at school before I was taken."

"Of course go on."

"Well, Severus Snape and I were well dating, and well we brought up the matter in a talk today. Well I can only assume that Jordan knows about it and that was the reason for his attack." She kept her head down now. Her face was very red.

"Yes, that would make sense of things. Well there is very little we can do this evening however I will speak with the rest of the staff and see if there is not something that can be done as for you and Severus well I don't not take it into my hands to guide you there that is the matter of your heart, but do remember he is now your teacher."

"I understand."

"I do believe you may return to Gryffindor tower but Shaddi be careful."

"Yes professor." She stood and turned to leave. Then once again shudders ran down her spine. She gasped and spun around looking out the window behind Dumbledore.

"Is there something wrong my dear?" He asked seeing her actions.

"Just, keep your eyes open." She left it was already past curfew and she wanted to get around people she didn't want to be caught alone in the corridors. She moved as quickly as she could taking a number of short-cuts however her luck today was not good on the fifth floor she was caught in darkness, she took out here wand.

"Lumos." She turn around nothing behind her she turned back to start walking and found herself face to face with Jordan. At once she went for her revolver, which was still in her jacket, but he was well too fast for her. He placed on hand over her mouth and shoved her against the wall.

"I did warn you didn't I? Didn't I?" He threw her to the floor and her wand rolled away. She tried to get to it but he stepped on her outstretched hand. "No, no, no." He picked her up and threw her against the opposite wall where she slid to the floor. She put her hand into her jacket grabbing the handle of the revolver. But he grabbed her throat and picked her up by it then grabbing her hair tilted her head to the side and sank his fangs into the flesh there. She screamed hoping she would be heard. It hurt his ears and in punishment he slammed her against the wall again. Then when she slid down to the floor, he kicked her in the face.

She could taste a good amount of blood, which is what he wanted. He drew her up close to him then pressed his mouth to her's he slid his tong into her mouth and began to lap the blood out of her mouth. BANG! She fired the revolver at him hitting him in the right side. He left go and she stood trying not to fall.

"Meeeeeeeeeeeooooow" He stopped looking down the hall. A small smokey gray something was there.

"Mrs. Norris?" Shaddi whispered, then footsteps and the sound of Flitch.

"Professor Snape it's over here."

"You got lucky." Jordan whispered then vanished. Shaddi fell to the floor in a heap and the footsteps drew nearer.

_This is it._ She thought _He finally got me, I'm going to die._ She felt as if she was sliding away into nothing. _Goodbye Severus._ She had her eyes half open and suddenly a light fell over her and a set of gasps, someone running and the soft thud on them dropping down next to her.

"Get Minerva." The voice of Severus Snape said. Then more footsteps going away this time. "Shaddi, Shaddi!" He was shaking her shoulder she fully opened her eyes and found him with his wand lit leaning over her. She was having a hard time staying awake her head swam and she could still taste blood as well as feel it on her face.

"Severus." She whispered "No you can't be here he'll kill you." She whimpered in pain, he shook his head slid an arm under her knees and the other behind her back. She felt herself being lifted off the floor but didn't know where she was going. Then another light intruded her vision making her shut her eyes and let out a moan. It was Filch's lantern.

"My goodness, Severus what happened here?" he looked at her.

"Look at her throat." McGonagall moved over to her and pulled back and bit of the hair. Shaddi twitched as her fingers grazed the wound where Jordan had drank from her.

"We must get her to the hospital wing. Severus you and Argus take her there and I'll notify Albus." The men nodded and then headed off toward the hospital wing. Shaddi was thinking a bit better she could recall what happened now and then taste of blood was thicker she was still bleeding. After another moment she had no choice but to swallow her own blood or be choked by it. Within minutes they had reached the hospital wing.

"Professor what has hap.. Oh my." Madam Pomfery had come over and she now saw Shaddi who looked at her in a tired way. "Weren't you just in here not thirty minutes ago?" She said to Shaddi.

"Yes." She croaked.

"I'm afraid that vampire returned to the castle this evening and met up with Miss Ravencroft in a fifth floor corridor." Snape laid her down onto a bed, Filch set down her revolver and wand on the bedside table.

"Well he certainly did a number on her." She said moving around Shaddi assessing the damage. Burses scratches and then there was the oral damaged he had destroyed a fair few teeth and fractured her jaw when he kicked her. After a very short time Albus and Minerva came into the ward. Shaddi saw him couldn't help but be glad he hadn't been harmed, the lives of others meant more to her than her own.

"Headmaster, you have to warn the school, I don't care what you tell them; they have to know. Jordan is a danger to anyone who comes across him; with him so close I fear for the safety of the students as well as the staff, everyone needs to know. And if you don't tell then I will and I'll tell them everything including my time spent with the Dark Lord." Dumbledore held up his hand to silence her.

"I will tell them you need not go that far. I swear I will tell them what they need to know." Shaddi relaxed back into the pillows. As Madam Pomfery picked up her left arm and saw the bite marks on it.

"This is older than the rest." She pointed out, Severus looked at her with his eyebrows raised.

"Umm... well... I." She looked up at Dumbledore eyes begging for council.

"It's up to you if you decide not to tell them no one can hold it against you." He said calmly. She took a deep breath and decided to tell.

"Well earlier this evening Jordan caught me in the dorm when I went to get my broom for quidditch practice and told me that if I told anyone about our meeting I and whomever I told would be killed then he bit me and left. I saw him at practice and when I left here I went and told Professor Dumbledore then on my way back to Gryffindor tower he caught me and would have killed me had it not been for Mrs. Norris Mr. Filch and Professor Snape." She spoke as Madam Pomfery healed her wounds. Then she couldn't speak anymore because Madam Pomfery made her open her mouth so she could see how damaged her mouth was. More and more pain was creeping in more and more as her adrenalin wore off.

"There is a fair bit of oral damage done here but nothing that can't be fixed. But I want to keep you here at least threw tonight and tomorrow morning." She stepped back and Shaddi nodded. She lay back with her eyes closed and her breathing slow then she got a smell of something fowl. And she looked at the nurse who now had a bottle and a goblet. She poured some reddish liquid into the goblet it hissed and steamed slightly.

"Here drink this it will seal the wound in your mouth so I can better seen the extent of the damage." She took the goblet from her and drank the substance quickly as possible. Once she was finished she struggled not to pull a face as she handed her back the glass. She was forced to open her mouth yet again then Madam Pomfery fixed her up and told her to lie down.

"Well I do believe she will be safe here as for the school we will search and re-ward the boundaries; the students will be notified at breakfast tomorrow. Now Shaddi you should sleep we will leave you now." Dumbledore and McGonagall began to leave but Severus didn't. "Severus."

"I think it would be best if I remained that way Poppy may get some rest, I don't believe that leaving Miss Ravencroft alone is a good idea given the state of things." He was standing away from the bed looking at the Headmaster.

"Very well." Then the others left. Madam Pomfery left also leaving Severus and Shaddi alone. Shaddi sat back looking up at the ceiling she was still very weak and didn't want anything more to happen ever. Severus came over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Like I was thrown against a wall a few times, oh wait I was." She smiled

"It's not funny." He said looking at her.

"Trust me Severus if anyone knows how not funny it is, it's me." She said looking up at him.

"Well why did he meet you in your dormitory anyway, there must have been a reason?" He asked looking down at her.

"Well..." She looked around making sure they were alone. "He said he knew about us, and that he owned me." She clenched her jaw furiously. "And that if I told anyone he was watching me I and anyone I told would be killed." She sounded as if ripping Jordan apart wasn't a bad idea.

"Really, well does that mean there is an 'us'?" He whispered with an eyebrow raised.

"I haven't thought much on it yet, haven't had the time. But give me a bit more time and I will answer you." She already knew her answer but she had to be sure.

"But of course, all the time you need." He carefully took her hand then looked at her face as if asking permission she nodded with a smile. "Sleep, you need it." She nodded then closed her eyes and was almost instantly out.


	12. Guilt, Anger, Suspicion, Deceit

**Chapter Twelve: Guilt, Anger, Suspicion, Deceit **

"But what happened to her?" Someone demanded, Shaddi had woken up before her eyes were open

"I will not release any information; it is not any of your business!"

"Look we know something's happened to her she never showed up to astronomy last night and Professor Dumbledore gave us that weird warning today at breakfast now you can't expect us not to think she not alright, at least let us look at her." Someone else said. Shaddi opened her eyes to find she was surrounded by screens. And that the hospital wing doors were not in her view. She felt much better than she had the night before.

"I will do no such thing you are all to leave here at once. She will be returning to dinner if she feels up to it." Shaddi recognized that voice, it was Severus'. With much complaining whomever was at the door now left. Severus came around the screen and saw Shaddi sitting up. He swiftly moved over to the bed and sit on the edge of it as he had the night before.

"How do you feel?" He asked looking her in the eyes.

"Better, what was all that about?" She asked

"Oh, just Potter and his posy wondering about you." He said rolling his eyes.

"Ok then so the Headmaster did address the school, right?"

"Yes, at breakfast as he promised."

"Good." At that moment Madam Pomfery came around the curtain and saw Shaddi saw awake.

"Ah How are you feeling?" She asked, but before waiting for any response she started looking over Shaddi where her injuries had been the night before. She pried her mouth open and saw it was fully healed and the color of her skin had returned to normal.

"Alright dear you may leave whenever you feel ready." She said.

"Great I'm ready." Shaddi said getting up. She was still wearing the clothes from the night before. "I think I should fix this." She snatched up her wand and appeared in a fresh set of robes. Then she picked her revolver and stuck it inside her robes where it would be out of sight.

"Well lets be out of here." Severus said. Shaddi nodded and the two left the wing together. Snape kept looking over at Shaddi as if afraid she might collapse.

"Professor Snape I'm fine really." She said He looked almost shocked at her addressing him so formally until he noticed the group of third years coming toward them.

"So what should I do? I mean dinner isn't for another few hours lunch just finished." She said looking at her watch. "Should I go back to Gryffindor tower?" She seemed to be asking him as a teacher and not an old boyfriend.

"Actually if you feel alright about it, I would like to finish our conversation, unless you would rather not." He said looking dejected. Shaddi froze for a moment. She hadn't thought much about that yesterday, what with Jordan showing up and everything.

"Um.. I still haven't had much time to think about it, what with... you know... everything." She said looking up at him. He sighed and nodded.

"I understand. You had a pretty bad night."

"Well I have had better." She said moving past him up the corridor. She wanted to think but wasn't sure it was a good to be alone so she hesitated to go far. It seemed Snape noticed this.

"Do you want to go out onto the grounds; sunlight would be a good thing for you." He looked toward one staircase that led down to the first floor.

"Actually I think the sun would be a good thing lets go." With that they went down the staircase. They exited and walked toward the lake. Shaddi noticed at the Gryffindors were in the greenhouses not far away.

"Harry look." Hermione said pointing toward Shaddi and Snape.

"Shaddi." Ron whispered, "Well she certainly looks alright." He said bitterly. Harry said nothing.

_Well I can see why that old bat wouldn't let us in._ He thought staring daggers at Snape as he and Shaddi stood on the edge of the lake.

"It seems to me that when every those two have a talk she gets hurt." He finally said aloud.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked

"Well think about it, that time when he pulled her out of dinner, that night the vampire jumped her. And he had talked her yesterday and then she not only get distracted enough to get beat by her own bludger then something's else happens and she ends up in the hospital wing again. Every time was after she and Snape talked."

"But Harry do you really think he's involved. I mean remember we thought he was trying to kill you before and he was really saving you." She said trying to reason.

"And didn't she say they had been friends at school?" Ron asked

"No she said they were in the same house, she said nothing about friendship." Harry spat sounding as if he would rather die than know they were friends.

"Well if they had been friends it would certainly explain a lot of things." Hermione said

"Like what?" Ron asked

"Well Shaddi seems not to get as much negative attention as the rest of us from Snape, if they had been friends that could account for it."

"But Hermione you must also remember that she very good at potions the way your good at everything." Harry said and he continued to prune his rose bush, which every now and then would shoot out a thorn covered vine and try to kill him.

**Shaddi' POV**

"Shaddi."

"Yes."

"I was wondering, last night when he caught you in that corridor. What went through your mind?" He wasn't looking at her; he was looking out over the water the sun reflecting off it like some kind of enchantment. She remembered that much.

_'This is it I'm going to die.' She blood rising in her mouth, 'Severus, I'm so sorry, Goodbye Severus' _

Then the light came.

_"Get Minerva"_

_'Is that him, no! If Jordan's still here, he'll die too.'_

_"Severus, no you can't be here." _

Her whisper soft and raspy, hardly audible

"A lot, went through my mind." She said looking at a frog as sat above the cold water on a rock. _I could tell him, but that would be selfish. To put him in danger to try to save what once was. But what if it's still here?_ She finally decided to say it.

"A lot of it was about you." He looked down at her and saw that same fearless mask she had when he met her at school, the same face she had when she took down the werewolf and the same eyes she had when she stood beside the Dark Lord. Yet he could read it perfectly. She stayed professional about their talk because they were out where they could be seen.

"Really." He turned his gaze back to the water. "Anything particular you're willing to share."

"All I could think of was, what if Jordan was still around? What if he was still there? What if he got to you too?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper even though no one was really around. For a long time they stayed very quiet, so long in fact that the bell rang signaling the end for classes for the day. Seeing as it's was Friday the students had the afternoon off. The trio bolted from the green houses and ran over toward the lake.

"Shaddi!" Hermione yelled as they ran over. She and Ron stopped as they approached but Harry didn't. He hit Shaddi with huge hug nearly knocking her into the freezing lake water.

"Er... Right" She said, it was an awkward situation she wasn't sure if she should hug him or slap him, in the end she just stood there looking shocked, after a moment, during which Severus rolled his eyes.

"Harry let go." Hermione said. "Were so glad you're ok, we thought something horrible might have happened to you." She said as Harry stepped back.

"You are alright, right?" Harry's eyes flashed at Snape, who seemed to be pretending the trio hadn't come over.

"Yes, I'm... I'm fine." She said looking at them with a reassuring smile. They looked doubtful.

"Why weren't you're in class of and the first two meals?" Ron asked, Her quick thinking was going to let her down.

"Something came up." _Horrible excuse._ She said then thought.

"Well we know you were in the hospital wing, what was it?" Harry demanded looking almost angry between Shaddi and Snape.

"Something that put me in the hospital." She would not break. She would keep up this until they gave up.

"Well what was that something?" Ron asked.

"Miss Ravencroft has been excused from classes today by the Headmaster." Snape said, angry the group Glared at the two of them and left mumbling to themselves.

"Why won't she tell us?" Hermione asked sounding very hurt.

"Because, either she's afraid too or Snape won't let her." Harry said sounding if as killing Snape would solve the world's problems.

"Well we can probably get it out of her at some time later tonight." Ron said thinking tying her up in the common room would work.

"Well I still think Snape is involved." Harry said bitterly as they entered the castle.

She felt horrible, she had shot away the people who had been there for her since she came back. At the moment the seconds lengthened and she felt as if she were standing in a black abyss of guilt. She moved away from Severus. He let her go, she moved into the castle and into the library where she sat down in one of the aisles. She looked around and saw it was the same aisle that she had first kissed Severus in.

"Now I have time to think about it." She whispered to herself. Then got lost in thought, in the end she came up with the most logical decision. However she didn't leave right away she sat reliving that night and the afternoon before over and over. Then she thought about Jordan, his stolen kiss. The vial violation, it angered her to her very core. Then the guilt washed over her again at pushing away her new friends. And just before dinner she stood and went off to the Great Hall to wait for all of them except Jordan whom would not want to see her because she might kill him.


	13. Forsaken

**Chapter Thirteen: Forsaken **

Shaddi was sitting at the Gryffindor table waiting for the rest of the school to get there so she could talk to her friends. As she did she went over what she would say to each of them in turn. Making sure everythign was right. First off was Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She would speak with them first then Severus. At eight o'clock the students started to arrive looking strangly at Shaddi. She didn't care what they thought. Let them think, she had to concentrate right now.

Then they came in. Harry, Ron , and Hermione they saw her looking at them from the table. Her golden plate and goblet still clean. They knew she wanted them to sit down with her, so they did. All there of them on the same side looking at her. She took a deep breath. _Here it goes._

"Look I have something to tell you three." She looked around and saw many students looking toward her. This made her grimace. "But not now we need to talk, you'll get you awnsers but not here. Tonight when we can speak privately." With that the Trio nodded and Shaddi stood. She looked up at the staff table and saw severus was not there. "Excuse me I need to go find someone." She left before they could ask questions. She heard Draco's calls to her from the Slytherin table but promptly ignored him as she headed out into the entrance hall.

She looked around, no one around. So she ran for the dungons; jumpinmg down the last few steps. The bolting for Snapes office. She reached the door and listened no sound from inside. She raised a steady hand and knocked.

"What?" The bitter cry of Severus Snape greeted her.

"Professor, may I speak with you?" She said her voice sounding almost as if she wasen't herown, but he knew it.

"Only if you come to me as who you should be, and not who you were." Cryptic but she understood what he ment. She waved her hand over her face and changed to the platinum blonde adult form. With her long jacket and revolver still planted firmly at her side. She opened the door and stepped in seeing Snape. He was sitting in a Green velvet arm Chair next to the fire, a tumbler of fire whisky in his hand. There was anothe chair identical to it next to his own about two feet apart. "Please sit down." He said his black eyes still on the fire as he waved his free hand toward the empty chair. She did not move to the chair.

"Severus I don't... I don't want to sit." He stood and looked at her his face unseen due to the fire light behind him.

"What do you want?"

"I want to talk to you about yesterday, about us."

"Is there an us?" His voice was monotone and his eyes still invisable. Shaddi ran her fingers threw her hair brushing it back out of her face. She hated what she was about to say.

"Severus, there can't be an us." He stayed quite. "Not while I'm a student here, it wouldn't be right. If the others found out, things would get..., bad."

"It's already bad. You're not happy, I'm not happy, and the rest are only happy when they get what they want. These days there is little to be happy about." She hated not being able to see his eyes. So she tried to change her point of view. She moved over to the fire and rested her hands on the mantle looking into the flames.

"Severus please, it could have worked had Jordan not..."

"Back to him. You do relize this is all his fault. If he hadn't.." He stopped looking up at Shaddi who was half turn toward him. His tone scared her, she could rember the Death Eater circles and those cold eyes and crule laughter. Now she stood looking at him with the orange tinted light of the fire washing over his pail skin, making him glow. But then her days as the Death Eater she was came back to her and she grew very hard inside. locking out everything.

"If he hadn't what? Made me relize I was living in a fantasy. That I was just some stupid orphand who haden't a clue about the world, or what I would be going into to, or how I could have died, or even that I could have died. Becomeing a Death Eater was how I got out. It was how I lived, but that's still not a good enough reason for all the evil involved!" Her voice was now shaking she fought back the tears this talk brought to her eyes. He just staired at her. She felt herself losing it and the tears slid unimpeaded down her face. And something new to Severus, the pure perfection of the same event on his face.

They together wept over the simple fact, while Shaddi was at school here, they could not be together as more than student and teacher. It hurt them both so much for they wanted the one thing they couldn't have. But Shaddi knew it was more then his being her teacher, more then him being her superior. It was Jordan, it all came down to Jordan. Because of him, she feared too much Severus' safety and would not risk it. Once Jordan was out of the way and she finished school maybe, but not now, not today.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as she side stepped and sunk into the chair he had offered her before. For a long time they sat tears sliding down their faces as they were washed with the warmth of the fire, Shaddi still felt cold. It was her heart, the emptiness, she would be alone, that was all there was to it. Shaddi saw the figure of Severus Snape moved over to her chair and kneel down before her. He curled his fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to look at him.

Once again the emotion in the black eyes the unusal warmth of his skin. His fingers grazing her throat as she looked at him. Once again the pair shared one of those moments. A kiss stolen from time, letting the two of them slid out of reality and into nothing but them. Shaddi felt his arms around her and the closness of her body as the pair stood never detaching from one an other. Now caught in a forbidden embrace. How long the stood like that nigther of them knew. All they did know was that it shouldn't have happened. Because when they stood they heard a few very lound sounding gasps.

They broke apart, Shaddi imeaditly turning back to 16 almsot on instinct. She looked toward the door and saw, Harry, Ron,Hermione, And Draco Standing in the open door way. They all looked very shocked.

"Harry." Shaddi gasped as he took off running the rest not far behind.

"Potter!" Snape yelled as they ran after the others. They pursude the group all the way back up to the Great Hall.

"Harry please listen to me." Shaddi called as the entered the hall to everyone stairing at them.

"Why should I? After what we heard and what we saw. Why should we listen to anything you have to say?" His face was contorted into anger, the others were glaring horribly.

"Is it true?" Ron shot at them. "Were you really a Death Eater?" Everyone in the hall went tense.

"Mr. Weasley that is enough." Dumbledore said.

"No Headmaster, don't." She said looking up at him then she looked directly at Ron. "Yes, it is true I was a Death Eater. I can not deny it because it is true." Harry now blew up.

"I knew you were to good to be true, I should have known when you said you were a Slytherin, and they way you killed that man when you came here! Your just like the rest of them, cold and hartless!"

"Potter shut up." Snape yelled trying to go forward but Shaddi turned and grabbed him. She then turned back to Harry, tears running down her face.

"Your right, I am like them. I always have been, and now I know because of my actions I am forsaken, and redemption is impossable. Acio!" She had her wand out and then there was a whisteling sound anbd her broom came flying in the doors behind her and stopped right before grabbed it, her clothes changing to the sleek plastic they had been when she came and she left the hall leaving them all very confused.

She flew out the front doors and up to Gryffindor tower, the glass shattered easily as she hit it she dove off and threw open her trunk. She threw books and clothes aside untill she found a black and silver box she grabbed it, and made sure her revolver was at her side then put the box into a bag and took off threw the window once more.

Down in the great hall Everyone was looking at Severus who hadn't any clue as to what he was to do, in the end Dumbledore stood and said.

"Severus, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Draco I would like to see you in my office now." Then the six of them left. Dumbledore first then slowly Severus followed by the students. They moved silently up the stairs then to the stone Gargoyle up the sprial staire case and into the office where the Headmaster was sitting behind his desk and five chairs sat before it. They all took a chair and sat down.

"Now one at a time I want you to tell me what you know." At once they all started speaking. Albus raised a hand. They stopped talking. "Who was the last person to see her in the great hall before she went wherever she went?"

"She was talking with us at the Gryffindor table at the start of dinner." Hermione said

"And she promptly ignored me as she ran from the hall at that same time." Draco added.

"Ok, Miss Granger please tell me what you saw happen from the time she left the hall to just now." Dumbledroe said.

"Well She said she had something to tell us." She gestured to Harry and Ron who nodded. "Then she said we should talk in the common room after dinner. then she said she had somwhere to be and ran from the hall."

"Is that what you two remember?"

"Well she did do all of that but she also said all of our questions would be awnsered." Ron added. Harry nodded in agreement not trusting himself to speak right now.

"Alright Mr. Malfoy what did you want to ask her?"

"I just wanted to ask if she would try not to kill me at the Slytherin Gryffindor Quidditch match. I spyed on her at the Gryffindor practice and saw that she was very good. I just didn't want to lose my head." He said, it was an ovious lie but no one questioned it.

"Now Professor Snape what part did you play in thi?"

"Miss. Ravencroft came to speak with me on privet matters." He said

"Yea and well all know what those 'privet matters' are too." Harry spat out under his breath.

"In anycase she came to my office looking to cleare up some unfinished affairs."

"Yea affair is definitely a good word." Harry shot out again.

"Harry please stop." Hermione said laying a hand on his shoulder. He said nothing more.

"So where is the issue?" Dumbledore asked

"I'll tell you where the issue is!" Harry half yelled standing up suddenly. "We got worried about her and followed where we thought she was going. I had seen her turn toward the dungeons so we went down and found her standing out side his office door." He pointed at Severus. " She then changed her apperence and went in. That was when Malfoy showed up. The four of us went dow the stairs and stopped outside the door we could hear her shouting about being a Death Eater then nothing. I started to wonder if he did something to her. So I opened the door I saw him kneeling in front of a chair. Then they stood up and they were..." He stopped his voice shaking horribly his whole body shook. Draco took the conversation over from there.

"Ther were holding one another and...um kissing. When we saw them I supposed we must have made some sort of sound because they looked up at us. Shaddi changed back to the age of 16. Then we ran for it. We ran up to the great Hall, and from there you know what happened." The room was scilent, Severus' eyes were focused on the desk. Harry was standing next to the window leaning agenst the sill. Draco looked like the world ended. Hermione's eyes were full of tears and Ron looked shocked still. Then Harry yelled.

"Bloody Hell!" Dumbledore was on his feet.

"What is it?" The Headmaster asked as the others stood.

"Shaddi is on the grounds, and so is he." the others came to the window and saw Shaddi standing with her broom in had and her wand in the bag still over her shoulder. twenty feet in front of her was Jordan, they seemed to be speaking. then Jordan came closer to her and Shaddi gave him her broom. He mounted and then pulled her onto it . Then they were gone off into the forest.

"No." Severus whispered.

"That can't be good." Harry said

"Didn't he attack her in Gryffindor tower. Why would she go with him?" Draco asked looking stunned out the window.

"Unless she didn't go willingly. Vampires can intrance their victems. she might no have any idea." Hermione said.

"Bloody Hell, she's in trouble." Ron said.

"Porfessor Snape round up the entire shcool into the Great hall. You four go to the great hall and tell everyone that on my orders everyone is to stay there. I will get the staff into the Hall." The group left and twenty minutes later the school was seated in the great hall waiting for Dumbledore to speak.


	14. Could it Be?

**Chapter Fourteen: Could it be? **

For the next two weeks no one caught wind of Jordan or Shaddi. And now the Gryffindors had another problem, they needed another beater for the quickly approaching quidditch match. So once again try outs were held and. a week before the match they had their beater. The weather had gotten even worse since Shaddi had left, it was raining for days on end and anticipation of the up-coming game was getting larger. The Gryffindor team was coming in every night totally soaked. Dripping with water and mud and exhausted beyond all belief. Ron told the team there was to be no practice the day before the game so they could all be well rested. Then it was time game Monday day. Classes ended early and the school was outside in the stands waiting for the game to begin. The teams stood facing each other then the captains shook hands. Then madam Hooch's shrill voice.

"Mount your brooms!" And they were off the quaffle in the air and there went the commentator.

"Gryffindor possession. Bishop, Walker, Bishop, Rasputin, Walker." And on it went until "Slytherin possession." Then on the game commenced while the chasers battled over the quaffle the seekers were having a match of their own above the rest. Harry darted over the field on his firebolt scanning everywhere for the snitch and Malfoy kept cutting him off each way he turned he found that brat face in front of him again, then he thought to play with Malfoy. He took a sharp turn and saw Malfoy then he looked down and dove. Malfoy streaked after him, and then only feet from the ground he pulled out and jetted across the field then pulled out at the Slytherin end. He had lost Malfoy a way back and now he looked around and there it was. At the base of the Slyltherin goal posts not far from him, and he dove again. one of the Slytherin beaters launched a bludger at him but he easily missed it and then it was gone. The snitch had disappeared. Harry pulled back up and looked around wondering where it had gone. Then he saw Malfoy out of the corner of his eye, he had seen it and was diving. Harry pulled around and dove as well easily catching up to Malfoy. He could see it again they were closing in on it. Closer and closer the seekers drew, and then the snitch was gone again. In the blink of an eye it had vanished. The seekers looked around neither of them had it so it was still out there. They separated as the commentator said.

"Gryffindor's score!" there was a wave of noise from the crowd. Harry went high above the game to see the entire field but as he did something at the top of one of the stands caught his eye. In an almost empty row of the Slytherin stands someone was standing in a long red jacket. He pulled around and saw only for a split second someone how looked strangely like.

"Shaddi." He whispered aloud then he Heard Ron's cries.

"Harry!" He spun and saw Malfoy diving for the snitch. Harry dove once again catching up to Malfoy then pulling ahead then he felt it; the cold thing beneath his fingers. He had it and madam hooch's whistle blew but Harry didn't head for the ground instead he rose looking again at the stands. She was still there, then someone flew in front of harry and they were gone. Harry went for the ground and hit the grassy field running. He ran toward the gate where everyone was leaving the stadium. He ran down a hall and up a stair case to where the teachers were seated and went looking for anyone of them, the Headmaster would be the best and it was professor McGonagall he found.

"Potter what on earth?"

"Professor I saw her, I saw Shaddi, here she was in the stadium."

"Potter are you sure?"

"Yes I swear, I saw here at the top of the Slytherin stands. She was there I swear." At that Professor Dumbledore came forward with professors Snape and Sprout behind him.

"What has happened?" Dumbledore asked.

"Headmaster, I saw Shaddi at the top of one of the stands." Snape's eyes widened but he said nothing.

"Thank you Harry, You may go back to the castle now." Dumbledore said, This confused Harry but none the less he made his way back up to the common room where a small party had already started.

"Harry what took you?" Ron yelled at him from the other side of the room as Harry fought his way over to him.

"I'll tell you later." Harry said finally getting over to Ron who he saw was sitting with Hermione. They gave confused sort of looks to one another then went back to the party. Once the ruckus had died down Harry pulled his friends into the corner and told them what he saw. They were both confused and shocked.

"She was just standing there watching?" Ron asked seeming to think it was impossible.

"Yes, She was just standing there watching the game."

"But how would she get there without Jordan knowing?" Hermione asked

"I don't know maybe that why she left, and it was daytime. Don't vampires sleep in the day?"

"Yes, but Harry would they really be stupid enough to let her wander around?" She asked. No one answered. They all pondered over the same strange questions.

For the next three days the staff was keeping their eyes peeled for sings of Shaddi or vampire activity. However they found none at the time.

(((((((((( Thursday evening )))))))))))) 

(((((((((( sunset 6:35 pm ))))))))))))

(((((((((( Current time 7:38 ))))))))))))

It was early Thursday evening and Hagrid was sitting at his table just getting ready to finish up his drink then go up to dinner in the great hall, when he heard something that sounded like a scream. He stood up grabbed his crossbow and went outside. He looked around at the grounds near him and saw nothing. Then he heard some kind on sounds in the forest behind him. He couldn't see anything in the dark. He moved closer and the sound was getting further away. So he quickened his pace and went into the darkened woods. He was almost at once surrounded by darkness but small streams of moon light broke through the canopy of leaves above. This gave him limited vision but enough to see where he was going. Then he heard something running up ahead then the yelp of something human sounding. He ran forward and then saw them; two someone's standing there looking away around a large tree from him and then a girl ran forward and they jumped out and grabbed her.

And Hagrid heard Shaddi's scream. She struggled against her captors. But it was no use.

"Let 'er go!" Hagrid shouted pointing the crossbow. The vampires looked at him then seemed vanish moving so fast he could not see them. He looked all around thinking they might still be near. But nothing he couldn't even hear anything. Then he turned and ran toward the castle. He was able to cover a very large amount ground in a very short amount of time. He easily reached the castle doors within a matter of minutes. He could already hear the school in the great hall eating dinner. So that was where he went knowing the Headmaster would be there. He ran into the hall with every single person staring and then right up to the staff table where he stopped. Professor Dumbledore stood up,

"Hagrid what on Earth?"

"Professor, I saw 'er... And them.. There out in the forest right now. Shaddi she's alive in the forest... they're keeping 'er there, she tried to get... out I saw it." He was very out of breath.

At this Severus Looked at Dumbledore but said nothing to Hagrid. The hall was deadly quite, you could have heard a pin hit the floor. Professor Dumbledore finally broke the silence.

"I want all the staff in the Teachers Lounge now." With that the teachers all stood and began to file out. The students began to chatter once more mostly about what just happened At the Gryffindor table Harry Ron and Hermione sat all looking at one another.

"So she didn't go of her own will." Ron said

"And now Jordan's holding her there." Harry said spitting the name out like poison. "I don't know why Dumbledore is so worried she's a Death Eater after all." He added quietly.

"Harry, you know she's not like them. She's nothing like them, I could understand your reaction that night, but why do you draw it out now. Why are you acting this way?" Hermione asked looking coldly at him. Harry said nothing but continued with his meal in silence. The truth was he wasn't mad at Shaddi so much as he was mad at the simple fact that she had been a Death Eater. He had seen the good in her before he knew what she was. He knew it was there but right now he could see now more that a Death Eaters mask.

**-In the Staff lounge-**

The staff seated themselves all except Dumbledore who was going to speak Hagrid who was standing in back and Severus, who looked like he was going to start climbing the walls, was leaning against the wall looking at Dumbledore.

"Well this news is very much unsettling to us all I'm sure." He said eyes flashing over to Severus from behind the half moon spectacles.

"I do have a plan if any of us are willing to go make an attempt to retrieve Shaddi. How many would do it?" Without hesitation Severus' hand went into the air. Along with to his surprise; Professor McGonagall, Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, Madam Hooch and Professor Sprout.

"Well alright, It seems were going into the forest. Severus I will need you to make a rather large amount of the Blood Moon potion."

"Of course."

"As for the rest of you, sharpen your minds and get a good amount of rest because tomorrow just before sunset were going to go into the forest." With that everyone left.

Severus nearly ran back to his office where he pulled out from under his desk a black and silver box with the two intertwined S's stamped on the top in silver. He opened the box and inside was a Photo Album. Of course all the pictures inside were moving. He looked over the first few and saw different pictures of him and Shaddi. As he looked threw them he found himself suddenly very angry.

"I won't lose her again." He whispered to the silence. Then shut the book and placed it back into the box.


	15. Stake threw the heart

_Authors note: I would like to thank __Kali Sword__ for helping me write this chapter. Please go read her story._

_Thank you Kali_

**Chapter Fifteen: Stakes to the Heart, And a Cat out of the Bag**

The next evening Severus met the other six staff members in the entrance Hall Dumbledore had gone over the plain in owls sent to all six members of the staff who would accompany him into the forest. Severus brought the potions as the Headmaster had told him too. Each of the seven in the party was given three bottles. These were to be thrown when they found Shaddi to stop any of the vampires in the area from getting away. The rest would be a matter of spell work.

It was said the sun would set at around 6:30 so at 6:20 the staff made their way toward the forest, hoping to get a jump on them by being out there early. Hagrid led them into the forest where he had seen Shaddi the night before. However when they got there the sun had already started sinking beneath the mountain's horizon and the forest was already dark enough. And they weren't the only ones there, as they came to the small clearing they saw Shaddi.

She was tied to a tree by her wrist and ankles and was very limp. The upper half of her body wasn't touching the ground. But this was only because she had run out of chain and was supported by the shackles around her wrists. Her clothes were very ripped up and she looked quite a bit thinner then when she left. The clothes that had once been tight on her slender curving form now had a baggy quality to them. It seemed she had eaten very little. On her throat and arms there were numerous bite marks, which explained why she was so weak. But just as the group moved closer they were ambushed.

A full circle of vampires wrapped around them. On both sides of Shaddi appeared Jordan and a very good-looking female vampire that the teachers could only assume was Cheza, her long deep red hair waving down in its ponytail to the middle of her back. Intense blue eyes showed in the most eerie fashion in the fading light of the forest. It seemed the forest got dark faster than any place near Hogwarts. Jordan gave the group a very twisted insane sort of smile and then spoke.

"Well, well, well. What did I tell you all? They came, and look our guest of Honor." At once two vampires shoved Severus forward closer to Jordan. "Hello Severus." He said still with that crazy smile. "So you came to try to save the one you love, did you? Sorry you just dug your own grave."

"No, you did!" Severus said, at once the teachers threw the potions freezing all of the vampires but four Jordan, Lady Cheza, and two others, who all vanished at once. As for the others when the bottles hit the ground they shattered releasing a heavy red mist into the air. When it came in contact with the vampires it acted like acid. Burning their skin and sending them to the ground screaming and writhing then finally laying very still completely paralyzed. When the potion affected them, the teachers could see the skin burning and bleeding as the vampires twisted on the ground. A few of the teacher backed away so as not to be touched by the creatures on the forest floor.

Due to the screaming Shaddi's head had shot up and she saw the entire scene play before her. Once every Vampire had settled onto the forest floor Professors Flitwick and McGonagall had came over charming off the Shackles that held Shaddi to the tree. Madam Hooch was sent on her broom by Dumbledore to contact the ministry's control of magical creatures department. Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Hagrid and Dumbledore stayed in the forest while McGonagall and Snape took Shaddi up to the hospital.

Once Madam Pomfery had Shaddi, Professor McGonagall went to the school gates to await the ministry who with Madam Hooch arrived within minutes, they went into the forest where they arrested the coven and took them back to the ministry to be executed by sunlight. Once they ministry had gone most of the staff went up to the hospital wing to see Shaddi very much awake and getting the last of her wounds healed.

Madam Pomfery brought a large bowl of broth for her that vanished almost at once, as soon as it was set in front of her she began to drink it down the warmth of it burning her still tender throat. But she didn't care she was quite literally starving. Once it was gone she set she bowl back down and felt unmistakably better. In fact her hunger seemed to melt away.

"It was a magical broth, it will replace everything you lost while you were away. Nutrients, protein, potassium, vitamins. There all at normal levels now even your hunger should go away." Madam Pomfery explained.

"It did, thank you." Shaddi said she voice still rasping a bit but quickly returning to its normal state.

"Well, I still want you here tonight, goodness knows with what has happened to you in the last weeks I'll need to be sure your completely stable." The nurse said sternly. Shaddi nodded really not wanting to be there another night but not willing to argue.

"So you're feeling all right then?" Minerva asked looking at her carefully.

"Yes, I think so." She said holding up her hand it shook quite a bit more from nerves and cold then anything. It had been freezing the forest and she still wasn't warm.

"Well I do think we should allow Shaddi some time to rest she should sleep. Let us all go." Dumbledore said putting a large emphasis on "all" while eyeing Severus. He didn't want to go but none the less nodded and the teachers left.

Madam Pomfery gave Shaddi some pajamas put screens around her bed and had her change and get into bed. Then told her to go to sleep and that she would feel better in the morning. Shaddi felt very comfortable on the feather mattress and was very soon a sleep.

When Shaddi next awoke she found Severus standing over her bed. She jumped how much he looked like a vampire in the dark infirmary. She managed to get her heart to slow down back to it normal pace then she asked.

"Severus what are you doing here Dumbledore said..."

"I know what he said, and I don't care I lost you once to them and I almost lost you a second time. Oh the ministry found these." He gestured to a table next to him there was Shaddi's very battered revolver and her wand, which had seen better days.

"Oh great I thought I had lost them for good." She said sounding happy about it.

"Well I didn't just come up here to give those back to you, how do you feel?" He asked sound mischievous

"Great my throat doesn't hurt my energy level is back up and I have full use of all my limbs again." She said flexing her hands in front of her as she sat up.

"Well then do you think you're all right to leave? And I'm not talking about what Poppy says I'm talking about what you say." He said still sounding as if he was up to something.

"I think I could easily do a normal days routine without too much problem." She said wondering what he was thinking of that was making him smile so much.

"Well what would you say if I asked you to come spend the rest of the evening with me?" He asked putting her wand and revolver into his robes then sitting next to her on the bed and looking into her eyes. But before Shaddi even thought about answering she put an arm around Severus and pulled him close then they engaged in a very sweet kiss. Starting innocently enough with their lips grazing one another's then soon Severus slid his tongue into Shaddi's mouth. She followed suite. After about ten minutes of being as quite as possibly the two were standing and Shaddi broke them apart.

"Let's get out of here." She whispered then started kissing Snape again.

"Yes Ma'am." Severus said the he picked her up she was very light in her sixteen year old form. He didn't think she would be too much heavier in her older form her was still thin as the 35 year old she was. She still kissed him even as he brought her body up into his arms.

"Shaddi." He whispered

"Yes?"

"Do me a favor."

"What?"

"Become you, the way you should be, the person I wish I could have seen you grow to be." He said looking down into her ice blue eyes. She nodded with a smile. When she was around him she preferred her older form it didn't make her feel like he was her superior but her equal. She waved her hand over her face and changed to the 35 year old platinum blond.

As he had thought when she changed her weight did increase but not by much, ten pounds if that. He kissed her again and took her down stairs toward the dungeons.

The next morning Shaddi woke up alone the next morning. The room she found herself in a very nice dungeon chamber. The bed she was laying one was a queen size bed with dark jade green satin sheets, and a black velvet comforter with silver satin scroll burnouts. As she sat up she realized she didn't have a top on. She drew the sheets up over her breasts and looked around she saw her own 35 years old reflection. This was because one of the dungeon walls had been covered in mirrors. These mirrors were 2 x 2 1/2 foot and framed in a thin strip of silver. Around the frame were tiles of beveled mirrors. Each of the mirrors had the beveled frames pressed against each other so the entire wall was covered in them, and not a bit of the stone wall could be seen.

The room was lit with black, green, sliver, and white candles. Which were either resting upon differently sized candles holders or floating above. The Candle flames provided a very soft glow to the room. As Shaddi looked around again, she saw that the bedroom door was open and that Severus Snape was sitting fully dressed on the living room couch looking at her. As their eyes met he stood up and was just about to come into the room when there was a knock on the door. He turned and moved over to the door, which he only opened it enough to stick his head out.

"Good morning Severus." It was Professor McGonagall's voice "I trust you will be most distressed to hear Miss Ravencroft has gone missing."

"She has?" He answered

"Yes she has. May I come in?" She asked sounding as if she knew what Severus was hiding behind his closed door.

"Umm..." He began but before he could finish she pushed the door full open seeing threw the open bedroom door to Shaddi who still had the satin sheet pulled all the way up to her neck to hide her naked body.

Professor McGonagall's face went from its normal color to white to green to red, so fast it could have confused a set of traffic lights. Almost at once she looked away from Shaddi to Severus and said.

"Well... Severus I do expect to see both of you at lunch, considering breakfast is almost over. I will now go inform Professor Dumbledore that Miss Ravencroft is quite safe." With that she grabbed the door and stepped out into the dungeon hall, closing the door behind her. She walked with her fists clenched so hard the knuckles turned white. She walked up to the great hall where the school was and breakfast was just finishing. She moved up to the staff table and around so she was next to Dumbledore.

"Did you find him?" He whispered to her.

"Yes he was in his chambers and Miss Ravencroft was with him."

**-In Severus' Chambers-**

Severus leaned against the closed door looking at Shaddi who was trying not to laugh at the look on Professor McGonagall's face. Shaddi got up with the satin sheet still drawn over her body. It's soft material gently brushing her pale skin. After a moment of scanning over the stone floor with her sapphire eyes, she spotted amongst the garments from the night before her wand, which seemed to have fallen out of the pocket of the robes, which were obviously Severus' that lay next to it. She also saw just inside the pocket of the robes her revolver. She picked up her wand and tapped herself and she appeared in a pair of fairly tight black flair leg jeans and a red t-shirt that was also a bit tight. Considering it was Saturday she had no need to be in her school robes.

Once she had dressed she stuck her wand into her belt and took the revolver out of the pocket of Severus' robes. Then she shrunk it with a shrink spell and stuck it in her pocket. Then she left the room and found Severus was not in the living room, which was very much like the bedroom. Lit with candles making a dim glow and many mirrors, but these mirrors were spaced out nothing like the wall in the bedroom. She moved into the kitchen which was the only room left in the apartment like chambers other then the bathroom, which was off the bedroom. There she found Severus He was standing next to an oval shaped oak table, which was around six feet in length and three feet wide. There were two chairs one on each of the six-foot sides.

He smiled at her as she came in, then he turned away and conjured a breakfast that looked like a small feast. A white linen tablecloth draped its way over the table, and then the food. Large mounds of eggs, stacks of toast, pancakes, waffles, and hot sausage. The food was steaming and the smells were wafting through the kitchen at a tremendous rate. The plates were made of delicate white china with a black roman scroll print around the edges. There was a bottle of champagne that was frosted from the cold of the ice that cradled it so gently in the silver bucket.

Severus moved over to one chair and pulled it out for Shaddi who took it gracefully. Then he picked up the wine bottle and pulled the cork out so could smell that special aroma that wine brings. He picked up a glass that was next to Shaddi's plate, a beautiful Crystal wine glass that had a sliver claw holding the glass globe that melted down to form the stem and base of the glass. As he tilted the bottle the bubbly liquid fell from into the glass, caressing the crystal gently with the softest sound of running water in a stream. Once the glass was full Severus repeated the action into his own crystal glass. Then he placed the bottle back into the bucket of freezing ice and moved to his own chair.

Shaddi helped herself to some of the food in front of her. As she put eggs onto her plate a few strands of her platinum blond hair fell into her face. Shaddi tucked it behind her ear. Severus watched the grace in her gestures and remembered how much that beautiful hair had contrasted with the green of his sheets as she lay under him the night before; her left hand next to her on the pillow and the other on his face, her long fingers gently stroking his face. He quickly realized he was staring and recovered himself and put food onto his own plate.

Shaddi nibbled at a piece of toast as looked at Severus who had begun to busy himself with his food. She let her eyes rove over his body, longing for his body to be crushed against hers once again. She was still breathing in that sent that only he had. Not long after both had finished the meal and they sat staring at one another from across the table. The silence that fell over the kitchen was suffocating. Shaddi saw Severus' mouth twitch and twist into a mischievous grin.

Then without warning Severus stood up at the same time Shaddi did. He ripped off the tablecloth sending the food and wine to the floor, the dishes and wine glasses shattered with the sound of breaking glass and the splash of the wine hitting the floor. The tablecloth fell to the floor with a flutter and was stained with the bright colors of their breakfast.

Shaddi had dove across the table grabbed Severus by the front of his robes and pulled him onto the table on top of her. At once they shared a kiss much as they had the night before the hospital wing. Severus felt Shaddi's arms find their way around him. She loved the feeling of his weight on top of her. How long they lay there, kissing in one another's arms they didn't know. The next thing they did know however was the sound of someone tapping on the open kitchen door.

The pair froze then Severus saw Shaddi's eyes shoot to the door and widen. He then looked over and half shouted. The pair dove off the table Shaddi landing on her knees on the stone floor and Severus was not so lucky, landing on all fours in the pile of food and wine that lay on his kitchen floor. As they looked up they saw Albus Dumbledore standing in the doorway seeming to be totally oblivious to what had been going on.

"Well Severus I did knock on your front door though it seems you did not hear me. Minerva did inform me that you and Miss Ravencroft were down here but she did not say why. I came to see if she was in good health and I can see she is and is in good hands. I do hope to see you both at lunch. Goodbye." With that he turned on and left. Shaddi looked at Severus and had to struggle not to laugh as he stood when he looked at her saw the look on her face and looked at himself. He face suddenly gained the look that put the fear of God into most of the students. For one instant he looked like the bat of the dungeons he was known to be by everyone, but Shaddi.

"I think you should go get cleaned up." Shaddi said trying very hard to keep her face straight, however seeing Severus covered in his own once beautiful meal was terribly funny. He said nothing but left the room still scowling and Shaddi could hear the shower turn on the bathroom. She smiled to herself and pulled out her wand then, magically cleaned up the kitchen feeling that the food shouldn't just lay there.

Once the food was all cleaned up she moved into the living room, where she found a bookshelf. She scanned over the titles many of the books were on the dark arts, defending them, using them, whatever you could think of using black magic for there was probably a book on it. After a moment of debating she pulled out a book and laid herself down on the couch, the book propped open on her stomach.


	16. A Secret Not Long Kept

**Chapter 16: A Secret Not Long Kept**

Severus spent nearly an hour in the shower; the water was so hot that it sent steam threw the open bathroom door into the bedroom and out into the living room. After a while Shaddi looked at one of the mirrors on the wall next to her to see it fogged up. She set her book down and was watching her reflection become steadily more obscured by the steam. Then she heard the water turn off and the steam stopped increasing. Slowly it started to dissipate. And within ten minutes Severus appeared in the bedroom door way completely dressed.

"It would seem lunch is approaching." He pointed out looking at the clock. It read 10:43

"A little over an hour." Shaddi agreed.

"Well what now?" He asked as he leaned against the door frame.

"Well I don't know about you but I'm going to go outside and remind myself what sunlight is like." She said standing up and turning to her sixteen year old self. "I'll see you at lunch." She said then left. She moved down the dungeon hallway up the stairs into the entrance hall and out onto the grounds where the sun was shining despite the cold wind. She rubbed the backs of her arms then pulled out her wand and appeared in one of her many long jackets.

"That's better." She said to herself as she replaced her wand in her belt and looked over the face of the lake.

"Well I see someone decided to show their face again." Shaddi heard from behind her suddenly. She turned around to see Draco Malfoy standing there.

"What do you want Malfoy?" She said her wand could be very clearly seen through the open front of her jacket.

"Well I very simply wanted to tell you how impressed I am, I didn't think you had it in you." He said looking her up and down with a twisted smile on his face.

"Explain what you're going on about." She demanded

"Well you did tell the entire school you're a Death Eater, I just never expected it of you. Of course you said it yourself, you were a Slytherin, and so I should have seen it coming." He seemed to be trying to test her anger.

"No Malfoy, I told the school I _was _a Death Eater, I no longer count myself as one of them." Her voice was cold and she had the urge to just curse him into the ground, but thought it better not to considering the words she was saying.

"Once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater my friend." He laughed a bit before turning and starting to leave. "See you at lunch." He called over his shoulder before he was out of ear shot. Shaddi could feel she was shaking but wouldn't lower herself to Malfoy's level and use her wand. Then from behind her, she heard Hagrid's voice.

"I'll see you three at lunch, I've got a few things to do" Shaddi turned and saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione leaving Hagrid's hut. And if she was right they would end up heading straight for her. She watched as the trio began to walk it was Hermione who saw her first. She looked up toward the castle and met eyes with Shaddi. At once Shaddi felt the urge to look over the water and pretend she hadn't seen them but she couldn't Hermione had seen her.

Ron and Harry were next. Hermione had stopped walking and they looked at her to see why when the saw she was starring they looked around and also saw Shaddi. Ron's mouth dropped open and Harry went pail. But almost at once he recovered and began walking as if nothing happened. Hermione ran up to him and grabbed his arm tugging him around to see her.

"Harry you can't just do that, we should all go talk to her. You know how it hurts to have one of your friends leave you. Ron and I have both done it, you know how much that hurts, I saw it when you fought with Ron. At least go say hello and ask if she's all right."

"Hermione, she's a Death Eater"

"Harry, _was_ a Death Eater, would the hat really have put her in Gryffindor if she was still in with Voldermort? Think about it Harry."

"She's right mate, I mean would Dumbledore really have let her into the castle if she wasn't able to be trusted." Ron said also trying to make him see reason.

"Fine, but I'm not making any promises." He said sounding as if he almost wanted to talk to her. As the three of them approached Shaddi looked back over the water. The group came up next to her.

"Hello Shaddi." Hermione said wanting to break the ice. Shaddi didn't look at them but still spoke.

"So, come to condemn me some more." She said still sounding hurt because of them.

"Shaddi look I don't know why you ever would have thought of becoming one of them but, I know you're not like the other Death Eaters." Hermione said

"How can you be sure about that? You three and the entire school have after all seen me kill." She said "Harry pointed it out before I left."

"Shaddi," It was Harry

"Yes." She said looking at him,

"Look I was, I was wrong to have said that. I was just upset because, well becasue..." He stopped, almost struggling to say the words in his mind.

" 'Because' - what?" She said

"It doesn't matter, It's just you're a great person, I just didn't want to know you were one of them." He said in a final sort of voice.

"Right well, umm. So What have I missed, in the way of classes?" Shaddi asked desperate to change the subject.

"Not too much except a really important lesson in arithmancy, but with a little bit of work you should be able to catch up no problem." Hermione said in that 'I love school and everything to do with it' voice.

"And of course Snape's usual huge essay's on complicated potions, that if we don't turn in we fail." Ron said in a almost miserable voice.

"Oh Ron your just mad because you haven't even started your yet." Hermione said

"When is it due?" Shaddi asked

"Tomorrow."All three of them said. Then spent the rest of the hour talking about the work Shaddi would have to make up. Harry was very quiet and seemed to watch Shaddi a lot. She of course pretended not to notice.

Once lunch time rolled around the four of them headed up to the castle, things between them all still very stiff and formal, Shaddi received many odd looks and many people would turn a run from her when they saw she was coming. Once they stepped into the Great Hall many people gasped several leaned as far as possible from her as she moved over to the Gryffindor table. Upon passing the Slytherin table Malfoy called out. "Remember what I said Ravencroft."

"Shaddi what did he say?" Hermione asked as they sat down.

"Nothing important." She didn't trust herself to look toward the staff table. But she knew that they were all sitting there starring at her, with the rest of the school. The food appeared just in time to distract attention away from Shaddi. From there on the meal continued on nearly normal, apart from people whispering insults about the girl from behind their hands. It didn't bother her too much; she was used to being shut out by others.

Once she finished her meal Shaddi stood and began to leave the hall, still receiving glares and frightened faces from those around her. Once she got to the doors leading into the entrance hall she was stopped by someone putting their hand on her shoulder. She turned to see the Headmaster standing there his frighteningly blue eyes sparkling at her.

"I would like to see you in my office please." He said softly.

"Yes, Headmaster." She said and allowed him to lead her through the castle and into his office. Once inside he offered her a chair, and sat down behind his own desk.

"I would like to talk to you about several matters however before we begin we must wait a moment." Shaddi didn't ask what he meant by this, thinking she would find out when the time came. She was right. Moments later Severus moved swiftly into the office, like some kind of shadow trying to escape it's owner. Shaddi made no reaction to his arrival, she had half expected that this would happen.

"Ah Severus, do sit down." Dumbledore said, at his words another chair appeared next to Shaddi's. Severus took his seat never looking at his lover. "Well I must say, since your arrival back in the castle, the castle has been absolutely buzzing with talk." He said gazing a Shaddi.

"I had noticed." She said softly, and very stiff tone to her voice.

"Of course, I am here to tell you both that drawing more attention to yourselves is not a good idea. I will not tell you how to run your privet lives, but do realize that I want you to be careful." He paused and sighed. "As for your returning, I am sure you will be wishing to return to Gryffindor Tower tonight, yes?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Well that's good; I know that until things cool off a bit you're in for a rough time. Some of this you have already seen. Do know that you can come to me if you have any problems. And of course as you more than likely already know Professor Snape's door is also open to you." He said with a smile. Severus scowled. "And I shouldn't have to remind you, that displays of affection where others in the castle can see you will not be allowed. Both of you have already been seen by four of our students. I have made each one of them give me their word that they will not speak a word to anyone about what they saw. However if you are discovered again, I cannot assure you that I can help."

"I understand." Shaddi said.

"All right, well both of you can leave now. And remember what I said. Please don't throw away your integrity." They nodded and left. Severus stopping to hold open the door for Shaddi. She began to move down the corridor toward the staircase but stopped.

"He's right you know." She said without looking at him.

"Yes, but please can we talk about this somewhere else?" Severus asked looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Yes, I suppose, where too?" It was then that they could here people coming.

"My office now!" His voice was harsh as if she were in serious trouble. A group of second years was standing there and coward as Snape passed and glared at them. Shaddi followed with her eyes on the floor, looking unhappy. And the procession went as such until they reached Snape's office. He opened the door for her. "In." He said, a group of fourth years were leaning against the wall not far away. Once inside he closed the door and let out his breath. He looked up at the teenager in front of him.

"So what now?" He asked moving over to a chair and throwing himself in it.

"I don't know, but Professor Dumbledore is right, we can't let the school know. Harry and the others have already seen us at it once. We can't get caught, it would make things worse than they already are."

"Worse. How do things get worse? You're being ostracized by the school, hunted by vampires, and trying to finish your magical education, all at once. It can get worse?"

"Yes."

"Tell me one thing that would make it worse."

"I could lose you." He moved closer to her.

"What?"

"I said I could lose you." She threw her 35-year-old-self into his chest. Wrapping her arms around him. "Oh Severus, if I lost you again I don't know what I would do. When I ended up here again, and I saw you, even after all those years I knew you at once. I knew I wouldn't be happy until I held you again; even if it could only be once." She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to break over her eyes.

"Last night meant so much to me. But nothing could mean more to me than you. If time would let us I would hold you like this forever." He grasped her upper arms and pushed her back. She looked up at him very confused almost hurt. Her reached inside his robes and pulled out something. Shaddi gasped as she watched him drop slowly onto one knee.

"Shaddi Ravencroft you mean more to me than anything. Will you marry me?" The black velvet box in his hands was open; inside was a stunning platinum ring, a claw holding the large emerald surrounded by diamonds. The ring glittered in the soft candle light.


	17. Shock Factor

An/_Thanks for the reviews. And I guessed, Mr. Iceclaw. I didn't even know you were here. I suppose I can always count on you to point out my mispelligs __(Ha messed that one up just cuz I could) __I guess that's what you do though right? That's what reviews are for. I'll get right on fixing that._

So previously on _The Winds of Change_

"Last night meant so much to me. But nothing could mean more to me than you. If time would let us I would hold you like this forever." He grasped her upper arms and pushed her back. She looked up at him very confused almost hurt. Her reached inside his robes and pulled out something. Shaddi gasped as she watched him drop slowly onto one knee.

"Shaddi Ravencroft you mean more to me than anything. Will you marry me?" The black velvet box in his hands was open; inside was a stunning platinum ring, a claw holding the large emerald surrounded by diamonds. The ring glittered in the soft candle light.

**Chapter 17: Shock Factor**

For Severus the lengthened seconds felt like days, but he was willing to wait a life time, if she would say yes.

"Severus, of course I will." He smiled and stood throwing his arms around her, while kissing her at the same time. When they broke apart Severus took her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger; then drew her into his arms, holding her tight.

"So what was that about losing me?" He asked without moving.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." After many moments they finally broke apart.

"You should return to Gryffindor Tower, your friends will be looking for you. I do wonder what will they think when they see?"

"Does it matter?"

"Not at all." She kissed him, and slowly left the office, not bothering to hide her happiness as she did. The Slytherins resting against the wall looked at her confused but said nothing. Shaddi went up to Gryffindor Tower and found the trio in the corner playing chess and hiding from the cold. Shaddi moved over to them and drew up a chair.

"So anything important?" Ron said without taking his eyes off Harry's pieces.

"What?" Shaddi caught off guard by his question.

"Dumbledore, did he have anything important to say. We saw him stop you in the Great Hall and figured he wanted to talk to you."

"Oh no, just more questions on the vampires." She said waving her hand slightly.

Hermione's eye caught a glimpse of something that sparkled and when Shaddi put her hands back down in her lap she saw the large ring.

"Shaddi, where did you get that? Is that what I think it is?" Harry and Ron looked at her.

"What?" Harry asked.

"That!" Hermione pointed at Shaddi's left hand. Shaddi looked down and saw the ring sparkling happily in the fire light.

"Shaddi?" Ron said

"What?"

"What is that?" Harry asked

"My engagement ring." Their mouths dropped open. She had spoken softly enough that no one else heard her not that it would have mattered.

"No way! Who? My god, not Snape." Harry said his eyes wide with shock.

"Who else, yes Severus has proposed to me, and as you can see I have accepted." She voice was light and she had a small smile on her lips. They said nothing for a very long time. Shaddi let them sit there stunned. It was Hermione who finally broke the silence. She stood, grabbed Shaddi's hand and drug her to her feet.

"Congratulations Shaddi, I'm happy for you." She then hugged her. Shaddi accepted it with a smile and returned hug.

"Thanks Hermione."

"Well I suppose there's nothing we can do but be happy for you, maybe you'll make Snape be less of a psycho bat." Ron said also standing. "Congrats." He too gave her a hug. Harry didn't share in their moment of happiness. He stood but left the common room in a big hurry.

"Well, obviously he's not happy about this." Shaddi said feeling slightly hurt.

"Don't worry about him. It's only because you're going to marry Snape." Ron said. Shaddi sighed.

"I'm going to go talk to him."

"Why?" Hermione said.

"It's not just my engagement; he and I still need to have a talk I've been meaning to bring up for a while now." She left looking for Harry wondering where he could be. She wandered the castle for some time before finding him. He was on the seventh floor sitting on a windowsill looking out the window, his back against the wall and his legs drawn up in front of him. Although he heard her steps and knew it was her he didn't look at her.

"Can I sit down?" She said pointing to the spot next to him.

"Yeah, I guess." He pulled his legs in closer to his body and she took a seat.

"Look Harry, what's wrong? I know something is up. You didn't act like this before, why the change." He looked at her now.

"Shaddi in the past month; I've seen you punch Malfoy in the face, get abducted by vampires, make out with a teacher I hate, found out you were a Death Eater, and now that you're going to marry Snape. Forgive me if I'm a bit confused about everything."

"Is that all?" She asked knowing that if he said yes it would be a lie. He said nothing, but went back to looking out the window. "Harry, there's more I can tell. What is it?"

"It doesn't matter now." He said not meeting her eyes.

"Yes it does, if it's still bothering you."

"Shaddi, it's nothing please don't make me tell you." He held a pleading quality to his voice.

"All right Harry, you don't have too, not now at least. But someday you're going to tell me." She smiled. "Are you ready to go back to Gryffindor Tower?"

"No not yet, but I'll go back soon. I just need to think right now."

"All right, I'll leave you alone." She got up to leave.

"Shaddi."

"Yes."

"Did you date him, when you were at school here before?" He was looking at her.

"Yes I did."

"All right, that's all I wanted to know." She left, wondering why he would ask such a question. She went back to Gryffindor Tower. Hermione and Ron were talking. She went in and sat down next to them.

"Is he all right?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, he wouldn't tell me what it was but he didn't yell or anything."

"I can tell you what it is." Ron said

"What?"

"He's got a crush on you. He's liked you for a while and just couldn't; figure out how to tell you. And now he's too late, because you're engaged. Let's face it he knew he was too late when we saw you and Snape in Snape's office. But he thought there might still be a way. Now he realizes that he waited too long. He's just mad with himself is all, he'll get over it, it's not like he has much of a choice."

Shaddi said nothing to this. What could she say? She sat back in her chair thinking.

"Now I have a question." Hermione said. Shaddi looked at her.

"What would that be?"

"When's the wedding?" She said softly so that no one else would hear, she wasn't sure if Shaddi wanted everyone to know.

"We haven't discussed it yet, soon I hope." She said, She wanted to think some more. "I think I'm going to go for a walk, I'll see you two later." They said goodbye as she left. Once out in the corridor she began walking heading for the grounds and the lake, which was where she liked to think, it was peaceful there. She sat for hours, refusing to move even at the sun set and she was thrown into darkness. She didn't even look at her watch until she heard footsteps behind her.

"Why weren't you at dinner?" Severus asked.

"Because I was here."

"What's here?" He asked as he sat next to her on the large rock where she had been perched for most of the day.

"It's easy to think here." She said glancing at him with a smile.

"Yeah, I used to come here a lot, but I haven't been out here alone for a while."

"Severus, I'm going to leave."

"What?" he said somewhat confused.

"I'm going to leave this place for a while. It won't be long and I will come back, but I need to go see someone."

"Your leaving, does the Headmaster know?"

"Not yet, I need to talk to him about this and a few other matters."

"You are coming back?"

"Yes, I shouldn't be gone more than a week, two a most." Both fell silent. After a moment Severus put his arms around Shaddi.

"I'll be here when you return. Then we'll get married." She smiled.

"Yes, that would be nice. I need to go see the Headmaster now." She got up get him a quick kiss and left heading back up toward the castle.

Shaddi found the headmaster right outside the passage to his office.

"Headmaster." She said, he turned and saw her.

"Ah Shaddi, what can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you about a few things."

"Yes, well let's go into my office and we'll see what I can do for you." He gave the password and they stepped onto the spiral staircase, then went into the warmth of the office and sat down. "So what did you need to talk to me about, not more bad news I hope?"

"Oh no, I came to ask you if I might leave school for a short period of time."

"Might I ask why?"

"I need to go see some friends of mine. The truth is sir I won't be able to rest peacefully until I know Jordan is dead. It just won't happen. My friends are very powerful people and can help me. So I need to go see them."

"You mean to kill Jordan yourself."

"If I must, I will. I won't like it but I'll do it."

"I assume telling you that you could not leave school would do no good would it? You would go anyway wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would."

"Well then you may leave, how long you will be gone."

"A week, maybe two."

"All right I will inform your teachers. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, I was wondering. Once Jordan is out of the way, would it be possible for me to continue my lessons a bit quicker?"

"You mean in order to complete school ahead of schedule?"

"Yes, Sir."

"There is, is your current situation not suiting you?"

"It isn't that Professor, it's just. I'm not sixteen anymore, no matter how much I look like it, I'm not and it's slightly unnerving to be a student when I'm not the proper age of one. And I really would like to return to something of a normal life. That means finishing school first of all and second it means not retaining this form." She gestured to herself.

"Of course, well I'll speak with your teachers and we will see what can be done. But I'm making no promises. Was that all you wanted to ask me?"

"Yes Headmaster."

"When are you going to leave?"

"Tomorrow afternoon, after lunch."

"All right I'll be in the entrance hall to see you off."

"All right good night Professor, thank you for your time." She got up to leave and he called her back.

"Shaddi." She turned to him. "It was Severus wasn't it?"

"What?" He pointed to her hand; she looked down and saw the glittering ring on her finger. She smiled and looked at it. "Yeah, it was Severus."

"Well congratulations."

"Thanks." And she left heading back to Gryffindor Tower. Once in the common room she saw her friends and went over to them. " Shaddi why weren't you at dinner we were worried." Hermione said as Shaddi sat down.

"I was thinking. Look, I'm going away for a bit. I've got to go take care of some things, I won't be gone long but I thought I would let you guys know I'm going to leave."

"Where are you going?"

"I can't say, but I'll be all right. I should be back in about week, maybe two."

"When are you leaving?" Harry asked

"Tomorrow after lunch. Dumbledore is going to see me off."

"What about Snape?"

"He knows."

"Well we'll be there too. To see you off I mean." Harry said with a smile.

"Thanks guys."


	18. Dissaproval: Part 1

**Chapter 18: Disapproval, Part 1**

Shaddi was awake by five o'clock that morning. She lay in her bed for a long time listening to the sounds of the other girls sleep. After sometime she got up changed her clothes and charmed her things. The bag she would take with her along with her broom appeared laying on her bed. She went into the common room to find it empty. There were still a few glowing coals in the fire. The sky outside the window promised a cold day. Winter was quickly approaching and everyday was getting colder. She pointed her wand at the fireplace and the beautiful red-orange flames sprang to life crackling happily. She settled herself onto the couch and gazed into the fire. She did wonder if Severus was awake yet. She wanted to spend some time with him before she left.

She got up and exited the common room. The Fat Lady slept soundly as she closed her portrait. She moved swiftly down the corridor her emerald cloak billowing behind her. She headed to the lower floors doing her very best not to break into a full run. She nearly ran straight into Malfoy outside the 1st floor corridor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Good morning." Draco said putting on his best gentlemanly smile. In a strange twist of things he was not accompanied by his thuggish friends. No he was quite alone with only Shaddi in front of him.

"Hello, Draco." She said her guard up, he was being nice again. If he was anything like his father then this meant he was up to something.

"Where are we off to in such a hurry?"

"Nowhere that is any concern of yours."

"A bit rude in the morning aren't we?"

"Look if you don't have anything important to say to me then buzz off." She sneered as she went to leave.

"Actually I don't have something to say. I have something important to do." At his last sentence he pushed her up against the wall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She said, without raising her voice and sounding very calm. He didn't answer her, instead he pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her, while holding her upper arms and pinning her hard to the wall. She kneed him in the stomach causing him to let go of her. She began to walk away (backwards so she could still see him) and said.

"For further reference Malfoy, don't touch me." Then she turned and began to jog along the corridor. She heard him get up and dove behind a statue just in time to miss being hit by a curse. She drew her wand and listened, she could hear Malfoy slowly moving down the corridor. She dove out and fired. Thick cords wrapped themselves around Malfoy's legs causing him to have to stop and steady his balance. By the time he cut the cords with his wand she was too close to him.

_"Mobiliarbus!"_ She said she raised her wand and slammed Malfoy into the wall. He hit the floor and looked up.

_"Expelliarmus!" _Shaddi's wand flew out of her hand. Damn, how could she let such an obvious move creep in on her?

"Nothing to do now my dear." He raised his wand and her upper body was pinned against the wall again.

"Damn you Malfoy!" She said threw gritted teeth.

"Well, well, well. It would seem that you have nowhere to go." He placed on hand on the wall next to her head and the other still held his wand, which held her to the wall. their bodies were nearly touching and he had a look of sinister intent in his eyes.

**Harry's POV**

Harry was sitting in his dormitory watching the Murader's map, he didn't know why, but he wanted to know what was going to in the castle right now. He saw Shaddi get up and sit down in the common room then leave. He followed her and soon saw her run in with Draco Malfoy. Then she seemed to be in trouble. He got out of bed and went over to Ron.

"Ron wake up."

"Hu, wha. Harry why are you waking me up?"

"Look." He showed room the map just as Shaddi began walking from Malfoy. Then she stopped. "I think she's in trouble.

"Lets go." Ron now seemed fully awake. So they left to tower at a run and headed toward Shaddi and Malfoy.

**Shaddi's POV**

"All right Draco, you win. So tell me, what's your prize?"

"You." He kissed her again. She bit his lip.

"Not hardly." She raised her legs and kicked him square in the chest with both feet. Sending him back across the corridor. With his concentration broken and his wand point elsewhere Shaddi was released from his spell. She landed on her feet and drew her revolver. She held it in a steady hand as he gazed in horror at her. "I still have my wand." He said as he stood.

"Yes but I'm faster."

"You won't shoot me."

"What makes you say that?

"Because that's something a Death Eater would do." She froze in shock, he was right.

He took her fault and moved in. Shaddi was picked up and slammed into the wall. magically bound to the stone by invisible shackles. Draco had made sure to extend the spell to her legs as well.

"Can't let me get inside your head, you make mistakes when you think too much." He said as he moved forward.

_"Expelliarmus!"_

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_

Malfoy's wand flew into the air and his body snapped to attention and fell backwards landing hard on the stone floor. To Ron's surprise it had not been he who had administered the full body bind on Malfoy, while Harry had disarmed him. It had been Snape who was standing at the other end of the corridor.

Severus took in the scene before him. Shaddi was hanging limply from the wall to his left. Draco Malfoy was unarmed and stiff on the floor before her. Shaddi's wand and gun were lying on the floor at opposite ends of the hall, and Potter and Weasily, standing at the other end of the corridor looking at him.

Ron moved to Shaddi and realized her from Mafloy's spell. Upon impact with the ground he steadied her so she wouldn't fall.

"Thanks Ron." She said smiling at him.

"No problem." Harry and Severus moved over to Malfoy.

"Twenty point from Slytherin, and detention for, for harassment of another student, and magic in the corridors." Severus said, "And you," he looked at Harry who took a step back. "five points to Gryffindor for assisting me in stopping Malfoy. Not that I needed it." He added the last bit under his breath. He then turned to his Fiancee "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Thank you both." He moved to Harry and gave him a hug.

"What are all of you doing out of your dormitories so early?" Snape asked looking at all three of the Gryffindors.

"Well I was coming to talk to you actually."

"We were just out of a walk." Harry lied quickly

"I find that hard to believe." There was a long pause during which Harry, Snape, and Ron exchange glares.

"Well if you wanted to see me then I think we should go." Severus said after a moment.

"Thanks again guys." She hugged both Harry and Ron as Severus released Malfoy and gave him the day and time of his detention, then sent if back to his common room, while Shaddi gathered her things from the floor. Shaddi and Severus left heading down toward the dungeons. Once inside Severus' chambers he looked at his bride to be.

"So why did you want to see me?"

"I wanted to spend some time with you before I left." She said moving mover to him and putting her arms around his neck, now in her adult form.

"Well I'm glad. I'm going to miss you." He said running the backs of his fingers across her cheek.

"I know I'll miss you too." He bent his head and kissed her lightly on the lips. He held her close to him as if afraid that if he let go she would slide away.

"But for now, for just a little while longer I'm here, with you." She said, as she leaned into his chest, breathing in his sent and closing her eyes in enjoyment.

"Yes, yes you are. And I think we should take advantage of that time. Don't you?" She pulled back and looked up at him a smile gracing her lips.

The bedroom door was pushed open Shaddi backed in, Severus desperately trying to let her walk backwards and kiss her at the same time. Shaddi grabbed the front of Severus' robes and pushed him back onto the bed letting her body fall on top of his into the soft velvet of the comforter. Severus began to sit up. Shaddi put her feet on the floor and stood, Severus' hands still on her hips. While he was sitting on the edge of the bed he reached up and undid the catch fastening her robes then he slid them back off her shoulders letting it fall to the floor. She smiled playfully at him as he did this.

He stood up and smiled down at her. He lightly griped the bottom edges of her t-shirt and lifted it up over her head. She lifted her arms in order for him to do so. He let the shirt drop to the floor and looked over the nearly naked upper half of his lover. The only thing left being her strapless black silk bra. But before he could even touch it she had hold of him. His was in her arms again, her lips against his. He put his arms around her waist feeling her skin beneath his hands. She brought her hands up and undid his robes taking them off of him and casting them onto the floor, forgotten along with her own. His button up was next, with lightening speed and the grace and gentleness of a swan the buttons were undone and the shirt gone giving her access to the flesh of his upper body.

She ran her lips down his chest to the place over his heart where she sunk her teeth into his skin. Not too hard but enough to make an impression. She worked her way back up to his throat were she sucked lightly at the skin, achieving a gasp from the other. She smiled as she sunk her teeth into him again, this time his gasp was louder than before. She pushed him back onto the bed then climbed up next to him. And lightly ran her nail down his neck.

Severus rolled over onto his side and pulled Shaddi close to him running one hand down her back and to her waist line. He kissed her as he undid the buckle to her pants and slid them off. She gave a little kick and they went flying onto the floor, leaving her in only her undergarments. She pulled him on top of her and kissed him again. His hands crept up her back and undid the clip on her bra. It came undone and off without argument.

It took her all of about ten seconds to get Severus' pants off without removing her lips from his, his boxers were the next to go followed by her panties. Severus clawed back the covers as Shaddi sunk her teeth into the flesh on his throat for the second time that day. He brought himself to his knees and Picked up his lover placing her between the soft pieces of jade which were his sheets. She looked up at him as he ran his hands over her chest and to her stomached. She brought his head down so she could kiss him again.

As he kissed her he spread her legs apart to give him better access to her. She let out a gasp as he entered her. Their rhythm was slow at first, building gradually. She dug her nails into the flesh on his back; leaving long red streaks in their wake. She arched her back beneath him, as she did Severus kissed her neck causing her to claw at him again, this time bringing small rivers of blood to the surface.

She came first snapping her head back as she reached her climax. She cried out to him digging her nails deep into the sides of his rib cage. He gasped in pain and ecstasy as he came spilling inside her. He pulled out of her and lay next to her pulling his lover close to him. Both breathing heavily she snuggled into his chest purring as he gently ran his fingernails along the back of her neck.

"We still have to go to breakfast." Shaddi said sounding miserable about the idea.

"Yes, missing breakfast two days in a row wouldn't bode well for us."

"Well, I'm sorry but I've got to get into the shower then, because it's..." She looked at the clock on the wall. "almost seven and you still have to shower." She got up taking the flat sheet with her. She vanished into the bathroom. Severus heard the shower turn on and steam began to fog up the mirrors. Like himself it seemed Shaddi liked a scalding shower. He lay there listening to the sound of the falling water.

She leaned against the black tile letting the water hit her body. She soaked her long locks enjoying the feel of the water running down her back. She turned around and stood loving the feel of the hot drops on her face. Once she left the steaming waterfall she felt very cold in the large bathroom despite the warm steam which still filled the room. She dried herself then dressed. Once she exited the room she found Severus still in bed smiling at her.

"What?" She said smiling back.

"Just thinking about how strange this all is, that this should happen, even after all that we've gone through. That we've still managed to be here, together." He reached out and pulled her back onto the bed next to him.

"Great, isn't it?" She said with a smile. "Well you really should get ready for breakfast, you don't have all morning." She got leaving him hanging on the edge of a kiss walking out the door and into the living room. He smirked as she left, _such a tease._ He got up and also jumped into the shower. Upon exiting he found Shaddi once again settled on his couch with a book in her hands.

"Nothing has changed you're still a book worm."

"How do you think I get through your classes."

"There not that bad."

"No but you do demand specifics, I rather like that challenge. So are we off?" She asked looking at the clock.

"Yes." She closed the book and set it back on the table where she could pick it up again later. The pair headed to the stairs and into the entrance hall. Upon entering they went their separate ways, Severus to the staff table and Shaddi to the Gryffindor table. The people in the hall still acted as if Shaddi were a bomb waiting to go off. Those standing would move out of her way, several would make an about-face in their steps to avoid her. As she had in the day and knew she would the in days to follow, she ignored those who had forsaken her and sat down at her usual space with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

The four of them started their conversation; it seemed that Harry and Ron hadn't told Hermione about that morning, something Shaddi was rather glad of. She really didn't need Hermione worrying about her, especially when she was about to leave. She glanced up at the staff table in time to see the Headmaster beckon to Severus. He rose and swept down the line of the table. She watched as he leaned down to converse with the elder. He nodded then looked up at her he made no change in appearance and wore still the scowl every student was used to. He nodded to Dumbledore and went back to his seat. Shaddi continued with her meal not overly curious as to the event.

As the group finished their food they stood, their intention was to head back to Gryffindor Tower and play chess until dinner, well Harry and Ron were going to play chess. Shaddi had asked Hermione to help her with the lessons she had missed in her absence.

"You'll catch up really fast; I truly am amazed at how much you know." Hermione said as they began to leave.

"That's the upside to having traveled for some twenty years." Shaddi said with a smile. They went back to Gryffindor tower Harry and Ron began their game while Shaddi and Hermione went to retrieve their books

"Well, I'm going to have to do more catch up when I get back."

"Yes, but like I said you'll be fine."

"Are you sure you can't tell us where you're going?" Ron asked looking away from his game to concentrate on Shaddi. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He's been trying to figure it out all day." She said looking sternly at him

"What? I'm just curious."

"I'm sorry Ron, It's just that it would be dangerous if I told anyone where I was going. What if Jordan were to come back, you would be in danger if you knew, he may hurt you to try to find out, that is if he didn't just read your thoughts to find out on his own. No it's better for everyone if I'm the only one who knows where I am, and where I'm going."

"All right, I understand, but what about Snape does he know where you're going?"

"No, I haven't told him for the same reasons." No one spoke for a time. It was during this time that a house-elf (much to Hermione's dissatisfaction) came into the common room.

"Dobby!" Harry said as the elf approached.

"Greetings Harry Potter sir. Professor Dumbledore has sent me to inform Miss Ravencroft that he would like to sees her in his office at once." The elf bowed as he looked at Shaddi.

"Thank you, for the message." Shaddi said obviously dismissing the elf. Dobby gave another bow and left. "I wonder what he wants now." Shaddi said as she stood.

"I don't know, but you better go and see. If you don't come back, we'll see you before your leave." Harry said.

"I should be back in time for lunch, so I'll see you then." She left the common room heading toward The Headmaster's office. The hallways were crowed with people visiting those from both their own and other houses regardless of the cold breeze that all too often swept down the corridors. A few people moved out of her way as she passed others failed to notice her at all. Some sneered at her, and a few (most all Gryffindors) offered her a smile. It didn't take her long to reach the stone gargoyle and speak the password admitting her onto the spiral staircase. She knocked gently on the door and was told to enter. As she did she found Severus sitting in a chair next to the one obviously intended for her.

"Come sit down Shaddi." Dumbledore nodded to the empty chair. She took it and looked at the expecting to find out why she had been called. "Well Shaddi, Severus has come to tell me of the good news." He smiled at them; they looked at each other and smiled too. "He has asked me to do something for him, and we wanted your approval before we did it."

"Did what?" She asked looking between the men.

"Shaddi, I asked him if he would announce our marriage to the school at lunch, before you left, today. However we thought it best to get your approval first."

"I don't see what would be wrong with it. It will certainly shock people. But then I've done nothing except shock people since I got here." She smiled slightly at the thought. She looked at Severus who was also smiling a bit.

"Well then if there's nothing more, I think I will announce your news at the start of lunch." Shaddi and Severus stood to go. "I wish you two all the best of luck together."

"Thank you Headmaster."

"And Shaddi," You looked at him. "Your teachers have thought over your request, for more speedy classes. You will start on the first Monday after your return, with any luck and a bit of help from a time turner you should finish all of your classes before the end of this set school year."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course to keep your privilege you will have to keep your grades up."

"Of course."

"Well we will speak more on this matter when you return, you may leave."

"Thank you." The pair left, Shaddi now walking on air.

"I haven't seen you so happy, in a long time." Severus said as they moved down the corridors.

"Nothing has gone so right for so long before, not for a really long time. For right now at least, I don't think anything can ruin my good mood, not even Jordan." They continued their progress out onto the ground. Despite the warm sunlight, a cool breeze cut through them like a hot knife through butter. They pulled their cloaks close to them as they moved toward the lake. They talked for a long while, about their old school days, about the current time they spent at school. About their wedding, about what they would do once Shaddi finished school. Before they knew it it was nearly time for lunch.

"I need to go find my friends, I'll see you in a few minutes." She said just before she left him. She ran back across the grounds and into the castle. He watched her go then himself headed back toward the castle.

He hurried down to his chambers once inside his bedroom he looked through his closet to find what he was looking for. Once he was finished he headed up to the Great Hall waiting the moment he knew would change his life forever.

The school had assembled and was waiting expectantly for the food to arrive but it never did. The students noted something else strange. Professors McGonagall and Snape had switched seats and there was another seat on the other side of Severus which was empty. Once everyone was seated Dumbledore stood up.

"I know you are all anxious to begin our lunch but before we do I have a very big announcement to deliver to all of you. Shaddi would you come here please?" He looked at her while gesturing to the empty seat next to him. Shaddi stood began moving toward the staff table once she was nearly there Severus stood and she saw his appearance was different. His robes were of the finest black silk and were stamped with a metallic green scroll print around the collar and sleeves. His hair was clean and he had a radiating sparkle to his black eyes. Shaddi changed her appearance and her cloths as well. She heard the students gasp as she unexpectedly aged. She now justly wore a long dress of black silk. The corseted top stamped with a sliver Celtic design. It was strapless and let her straight sheet of platinum hair brush against her bare skin. Around her neck hung a sliver Celtic weave choker which dropped into a point around her collar bones . At the point dangled an emerald tear drop which was the same exact shade as the stone in the engagement ring which sparkled on her left hand. She could feel everyone in the room watching her as she moved up to the staff table and stood next to Dumbledore, in front of the chair he had reserved for her.

"Now I suppose your all really curious now. Well as you all know, one meets many people throughout their life, some of these people have a great effect on us, while others have less of an effect. And there are still others how have such an effect on us that we never want to leave them. We see that here." He waved his hand toward those next to him. Severus came to me this morning and asked me to do him a great honor, and it is as because of him that I bring you this good news. Our own Severus Snape and Shaddi Ravencroft are to be married." Everyone froze for a split second then the hall exploded into sound. The Slytherins screamed and clapped along with the Gryffindors. Everyone in-between applauded, several of the teachers rang Severus and Shaddi's hands. Everyone of the Gryffindor Qudditch team including Ron and Harry ran up to the staff table and hugged Shaddi. Once they were done Dumbledore raised his hand and soon the hall fell silent so he could begin again. "Now in honor of this spectacular news, we have a feast!" Shaddi and Severus as well as the entire rest of the hall looked shocked as the courses appeared, far more dishes were present, and things seemed to be colored in blacks and greens the drink was sliver, as if the Slytherins had done something great. No it was all because their house head was getting married.

The Slytherins buzzed with happiness, they had been extremely happy with Shaddi ever since they found out she had been a Death Eater, and none of them could approve more, they thought she suited their head of house very well indeed. They all seemed happy except Draco who didn't seem to enjoy himself quite as much as the others. It seemed Harry had not been the only one with a little crush on the former Slytherin. He couldn't get his head around the whole things, of course he acted like he was expected too, he clapped cheered and feasted with the rest, on the outside. But on the inside he couldn't have been more miserable. As the feast wore on one could see how the idea had settled over everyone, some would looked at the pair at the staff table and smile, other shook their heads, some just looked confused as if unsure of what to think. Once the plates had cleared of the deserts Shaddi began looking around at the other students, knowing that she wouldn't ever see them quite the same again. It was almost time for her to go. As the students began to file out she could see that Harry, Ron and Hermione were watching her. Severus kept side glancing and a growing hand of tightness of closing around her heart. Leaving was always hard, but she knew she would be back; she would come back if nothing else, for Severus. Once everyone was almost out Shaddi turned to Severus and said.

"I think I should be going soon."

"I thought you were going to say that."

"I am coming back, I have to, your here." She smiled a smile which he could not whole heatedly return. She sighed and stood Dumbledore looked at her but said nothing. She left the hall and headed toward Gryffindor tower to get her things and change both her age and clothes. Once she reentered the seventh floor corridor with her bag and broom in hand she found Harry waiting for her.

"So you're really leaving?"

"Yes, but I'm coming back."

"It won't be the same, after all you're going to be married, and you'll hardly be a normal student again." Everything in his voice told her how hurt and disapproving he was of the marriage.

"You're quite right. But not everything will change, for a short time I will still be in classes. But as I'll be married that arrangement won't work, you know it as well as I do, I'm going to take faster classes so I'll graduate faster than a normal student would."

"Tell me one thing; are you going to kill the vampire? That is why your leaving isn't it to find a way to kill him?"

"Yes, I will kill him."

"Well best of luck to you, on all of your journeys. I'll always be there to help, as long as you are willing to let me." With that he ran over to her pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Once he let go he turned away from her and ran down the corridor toward the grand staircase. She stood there for a moment slightly stunned; once she recovered she gave him a bit more time to go before she too went down the staircase heading toward the entrance hall.

Upon her arrival into the entrance hall Shaddi found the Headmaster, Severus, Harry, Ron and Hermione all waiting for her. She moved over to them and set her things onto the marble floor and looked at all of them.

"I'm going to miss you all a lot, but I am coming back, make no mistake."

"Well you have my hopes for a safe and speedy journey." Dumbledore said shaking her hand with a smile.

"Good luck Shaddi, be careful will you?" Hermione said as she hugged the other.

"Yeah, good luck, stay out of trouble, your almost as bad a Harry is." Ron said also giving her a hug

"Good luck Shaddi." It was all Harry said before giving her first his hand then a hug. Finally she turned to Severus who looked very sad but did his best to hide it.

"Make your travels fast, and please come back in one piece, I really have tired of seeing you in the hospital wing." He said softly as he took her hand.

"Don't worry I'm sick of being there. I'll come back as soon as I can." He drew her into his arms and embraced her for a long time before giving her one goodbye kiss. She broke away and grabbed her things. She moved to the door and once on the steps she mounted her broom and with one last look back, a smile, and a wave. She took off as fast as she could they watched until she was out of sight and then a bit afterward, then they went back inside hoping that she would return alive.


	19. Dissaproval: Part 2

AN://

_Sorry for the waite, here it is the new instalment._

_Jet_

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**Chapter Nineteen: Dissapproval, Part 2**

The days went on as normal Snape was still in a fowl mood, everyone was still buried in homework, class was still too hard to be legal, and winter was still cold. But the trio was missing Shaddi. Hermione no longer had someone she could discuss all her homework with. and Harry and Ron no longer had someone they could talk Quidditch with, besides each other that is. No they had not noticed how much Shaddi had been incorporated into their lives.

It was perhaps Severus who suffered the most, every morning when the post owls arrived looked up hoping Shaddi might have sent him a message, something telling him that's she was OK but nothing came. There was no word that a death eater had been captured, he looked over the paper everyday for such news. The days were slow, his bad mood at it's peak. Students scattered everywhere he went hoping not to become a victim of his fowl temper.

Harry Ron and Hermione made it by, things went back to as they had been before Shaddi. But there was always the horrid feeling in Harry's stomach, he would wake in the middle of the night after nightmares of Shaddi and vampires.

Hermione went back to being the only know it all in her classes, and missed competing with Shaddi on homework and tests, always trying to out score each other.

The Quidditch team had already replaced Shaddi when she had been absent with the vampires but still they missed her sharp phantom bludger attacks, appearing where and when you least expected them.

Draco also missed her, the beautiful pureblood. The girl with a fire-like attitude, and perhaps the only person in the school that could make him go crazy.

Once Shaddi had been gone nearly two weeks everyone was starting to get worried. They had no news of her and she was no where to be seen. The good news was that there also was no sign of vampires anywhere near the castle. Severus was going crazy he sent owl after owl and every owl he sent with a letter for Shaddi came back with the very same letter he had sent. So he could not stop pacing his chambers at night unable to sleep without knowledge of where his bride was.

Day 17

Severus entered the Great Hall tired from yet another night without sleep. He seated himself at the staff table and waited for the post to come. once it did he didn't bother to look up as the owls swooped over head. He had long since given up on hearing from Shaddi via post. He was very disturbed when a very large very wicked looking bird dropped down onto the place in front of him. He looked up and met the creature's fire red eyes. The bird looked like any over sized vulture. The feathers were ruffled and had a gray color. Most birds wings folded back neatly against their body, this bird looked as if it's wings had been broken multiple times and wouldn't properly fold back. If Severus had ever seen something that looked evil this was it. As he looked down he saw that the bird was clutching a very ragged piece of parchment in it's long dagger like talons. Severus slowly moved to take the paper from the creature , wondering if it would lash out at him if he moved too quickly. As he touched the paper the bird gave a cry and took off taking a piece of Severus' hand with it. He growled and his hand bled over the white of the table cloth. He used his wand to heal the wound before opening the paper.

_Dear Severus,_

_I'm sorry I have been gone longer than expected, however I have arrived without problem at my destination and will be returning within days. Send my deepest apologies to Professor Dumbledore and the rest. I cannot give you an exact date as to when I will arrive back at the school but know I should not be much longer._

_Love Always_

_Shaddi Ravencroft_

He closed his eyes after finishing the letter and sighed with relief. She was safe, and he could breath again. At the end of breakfast he relayed Shaddi's message to Dumbledore who also shared Severus' joy that she was in good health and would return to the castle soon. In the days to come the students noticed that the mood of the potions master improved but only slightly, however any sign of improve was better than none at all to them.

Some four days after Shaddi's letter came she still had not returned, worry snaked over Snape once again, he knew she was strong and could take care of herself but that didn't stop him from worrying about her. As dinner began he realized he hadn't much of an appetite. He moved his food about a bit in an attempt to make it look appealing. He wanted to leave but his better judgment told him to stay, although he really couldn't say why.

His mood didn't improve once the meal was finished and he was forced yet again to wander off toward his chambers alone. He opened the door and sitting there on his couch looking straight at the door was Shaddi. Her long platinum blond hair pulled over her shoulder so it spilled down toward her lap. Dressed in her usual long black coat, shimmering in the light of the few candles she had lit. Her shirt was torn a bit as were her pants but she seemed undamaged. She smiled and rose from her seat as he came in.

"Shaddi." His voice caught in his throat and came as no more than a whisper.

"Hello Severus. I missed you." He moved forward a bit still stunned to see her. She reached out grabbing the front of his robes and pulling him close to her. She kissed him as he held her tight nearly sobbing in happiness. He felt velvet beneath his fingers as he ran his hands up her neck and threw her hair. "I have a lot to tell you."

"Later for now it can wait, I'm just glade your home. How long have you been in here?"

"Not long, I came just before the deserts and thought I would surprise you."

"I bet your tired, you should rest. It's looks like your journey has been long."

"Yes, I am tired, I suppose I would like to sleep a bit."

"Well I won't keep you up why don't we both get some rest, you can tell me of your travels tomorrow if you like."

"All right,tomorrow." She went off toward the bathroom when she came back out Severus was already folding back the sheets. She smiled as he looked up at her.

"Already for you my dear." He said with a smile.

"Your too kind." She moved over to the bed as he went into the bathroom When he came back and slid silently under the sheets she was already half asleep. He slid his arms around her and felt her relax into his grip, very soon they were both asleep.

As she awoke she found she was snuggled against Severus' chest, wrapped tight in his arms. She could tell he was sitting up against the head board. With her partly pulled into his lap. He seemed to be starring off into space and running a hand threw her hair. She smiled and needed her hands into his chest.

"Good morning Severus." She cooed and she looked up at him with a smile.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, it was comforting to be back with you again."

"I think so too." He looked down and noticed that the piece of velvet he had felt the night before was still around her neck. It was an intricate sort of collar which was a weave of black and sliver bands braided together to form the inch and a half of tightly woven velvet. He reached up and ran his fingers over it feeling the soft material, he briefly wondered why she was still wearing it, until he realized she had only removed her jacket and shoes, it seemed she had never changed her clothes, and he had just been too happy and tired to realize it before.

"What day is it?" She asked as she sat up, putting her head in her hands and trying to wake up.

"Saturday."

"Oh good, no classes today. I still have to figure out how this thing with my fast classes is going to work. But for today, I have other things to do." She sighed and got out of bed, picking her wand up off the night stand and changing her clothes. Appearing in brilliant blue high collar robes, that seemed would float on the lightest wind and stream out behind her.

"What do you have to do?" He asked as he also got out of bed. He pointed his wand at it and it was instantly made.

"Well I left for a reason, and although I'm home, I'm still not finished with my business, I have a lot to do before I start classes again on Monday."

"Such as?"

"I'm sorry Severus, but for right now, I still cannot tell you. This is once again a measure for your safety."

"I don't like this Shaddi. Your keeping me in the dark, at a time when you might need me most. I have just as much connection to the vampires as you do. After all their the reason that I lost you for so long. Why won't you let me in?"

"Because. Severus, if they hurt you I will never forgive myself. And what would I be left to do if you died. How would I cope with that? No I really need you to be understanding right now. I need you to trust my judgment and let me handle it. Please, once It's over I'll tell you whatever you want to know. But please until then don't ask me."

"All right,I won't say I'm all right with it but, I'll trust you. Come here." He spread his arms so that she could come to him. She moved into his arms and embraced him. He smiled into her hair and ran his hands up her back. As he did he snaked his fingers up into her collar and pulled. The material rippled and Shaddi's throat was exposed. Severus gasped as what he had thought came to be proven true. She turned her face away from his, as she did the numerous bite marks stretched, the scab on one cracked and bled a bit.

"So this is what you couldn't tell me, that the wretched beasts have made a blood bath of you again. You couldn't tell me that you might have died in the jaws of a vampire. If you can't share this with me Shaddi then what can you?" The image every student within the walls of Hogwarts castle knew of Severus Snape resurfaced for Shaddi right then. He was angry and she couldn't blame him, but she wasn't about to tell him she just wasn't.

"Are you quite done?" She said bite entering her voice.

"For now, yes."

"Then I have something more to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I know these vampires personally. In fact I have much to speak to them about in regards to Jordan and his coven."

"Wait! You let them do this to you?"

"Yes." Without another word she swept out of the chamber leaving the stunned potions master speechless.

Nearly an hour later it was breakfast time. The great hall filled with student who were groggy but hungry none the less. Shaddi arrived just before the morning post. As she came in Severus could see the her robes had been repaired.

"Shaddi!" Hermione's call echoed into the hall. Harry and Ron turned in their seats. She smiled at the expressions on their faces. Others looked around at her, as she moved up the hall toward the Gryffindor table. The trio jumped out of their seats and ran toward her nearly making her fall as all three of them hugged her. They smiled and began to talk as soon as they let go of her. She could feel the eyes of everyone on her as she sat down.

The hall gradually began to fill with chatter again, The teachers looked from one to another confused. Many asked Severus when she had arrived and why they hadn't been informed. Of course Dumbledore wasn't at all surprised, Shaddi had been to see him early on in the morning. It didn't take long for the student shocked looks to disappear and be replaced with the looks of sleepy confusion. Many of the students were still too tired to try to process what had just walked through the great hall, much less why she was looking so awake and cheerful this early on a Saturday morning. Once breakfast had finished Shaddi was in need to met all of her teachers and the headmaster for a discussion regarding her classes. She left the trio in the common room and after grabbing her school bag she headed off to the staff lounge where the teachers were waiting for her.

She tapped on the door gently and entered when instructed. She found that a a circle of chairs had been formed in the room and there was a vacant seat left. Directly opposite the empty seat nearest Shaddi was a podium where the headmaster stood. She assumed the other chair was his.

"Welcome Shaddi, please sit down." She swept over to the chair and seated herself between Professors Flitwick and McGonagall. "Well, we all know why Miss Ravencroft was here." They nodded, and then began to elaborate conversation about her classes what she intended to do after she left school. She expressed her wish to teach at the school after she had completed all the necessary requirements. After all the arrangements for her classes dates were made and she was presented with a time turner she was sent off to floo straight to Flourish and Blots to pick up the rest of her books.

A few very jumpy women squealed as she appeared in the fire place with a burst of flame. She brushed her robes off as she stepped from the fire. Once the attendant had time for her she gave him the list of books she required, one of which was of her own addition. A book on vampires, it had been recommended to her by her old friends while she was away. Once he gave her her books, and she paid; she ran down the street to the Apothecary where she refilled her potions supplies. (She now kept a constant stock of blood moon potion with her, doing this easily depleted her supplies and she hated asking Severus for his ingredients, though he gave them to her without complaint. Anything to keep her safe.) Bought more parchment, ink and quills. Her additional classes promised plenty more lengthy essays. She dropped by Ollivanders hoping to get her wand looked over;(she was sure to leave her teenage form at the door) and was not at all surprised to find that the misty eyed man remembered her all too well.

"Ahh, Miss, Ravencroft. Yes, ebony, unicorn hair, thirteen and a half inches yes, yes I do remember like it was yesterday. Well what can I do for you? Haven't had a mishap have you? That wand was too good to be damaged, please tell me that isn't the case."

"No, not at all. I was just hoping that you would give my wand the once over and make sure it's still in good condition. I'm going to be doing a great deal of work not too long from now and it will get a lot of use, so I want to be sure it's in perfect condition." His face split into a wide grin, the mist filled eyes glinting with happiness.

"Oh of course I would be all too happy to. If you please." He held out his hand, she gave him her wand and after looking over it carefully. He said she had taken excellent car of it. Of course she hadn't used it for an entire five years at one point, but then again he didn't need to know that. He did a few spells with it before handing it back to her and saying that it's reaction time was just as good as it had been when she had bought it.

"It could do with a polish though," he said seeing the fingerprints all over it. "If you like I could polish it this time and send you off with some polishing supplies. Goodness knows a wand this nice should look the part." She nodded in approval. Once he was finished the wand nearly sparkled, Shaddi found it had the wood had the same reddish tint now that it did when she first bought it. "When you run out of polish you can come back, however next time I will have to charge you."

"Of course." She smiled as he returned her wand. She shook his hand wished him a good day and left, intent of getting a bite to eat from the Leaky Cauldron before heading back to the castle. She moved into Florean Fortescue's and sat down to a large Ice Cream Sunday and a lovely chat with a handsome wizard who seemed to be very taken with her. However he also seemed very depressed when he spotted her ring and found out she was engaged.

"Well he's a lucky guy, I know I've just met you but I can tell you're a very great person. He'll be happy with you. Congratulations."

"Thank you." she said as she left. She went up the street and into the fireplace of the pub. She appeared in Severus' fire place. He looked up slightly startled until he saw Shaddi stepping from the ash and dusting her clothing.

"That looks like more than books." He said as he stood to help her with her things.

"Yes well I had the money so I stocked up on all of my equipment." She said as with a smile, as she put the bags in the table. Something in her eyes still told him he was in trouble. He sighed and looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry, really, I got upset this morning and it was all for nothing. But still I really wish you would include me in your plan, however I understand your reason's for not." His face was lifted a bit so he was looking down into her eyes.

"I also should apologize. I got angry at you when all you wanted was what was best for me. For that I am very sorry." She looked it, her eyes sparkled with love and emotion as they looked into his. He leaned down and kissed her pulling her into his arms. Once their make up session was finished, Shaddi spent some time looking over her new books. Severus spent sometime going over the things he would be teaching her over the next months. She didn't think she would have too much problem until she looked over Professor McGonagall's lesson plans. She could see why she would need a time turner. She was doing at least two essay's a week and many assessments, both written and physical. Once she added up all the work, she did wonder if she would have time for Quidditch, then she realized that was the other reason she had the time turner, while she could be at Quidditch she could also be studying. of course she really would have to work hard. But it would be worth it once she was all finished.

"You'll find that thing will drive you crazy. I had one my third year and I hated it." Hermione said one afternoon. Shaddi shrugged it off she had been using the time turner for a few days and it seemed alright in fact other than being a bit tired she was alright. And so she continued, wake up, shower, study, eat, study, study, lunch, study, 4Pm nap, study, Quidditch, study, 9Pm turn in daily papers, study more, sleep when all daily work was done. Of course she did still attend to other things, of which not even Severus knew. She would sneak out of the castle every night and into the forest, where upon she stayed for no more that a half hour then she used the time turned to cover up her disappearance.

Shaddi took a day off after she was repeatedly told that she looked horrible. She spent the sunny winter day in Hogsmead with Severus, they moved about the stores and settled down in the three Broomsticks for some warm butterbeer. Shaddi finally brought up something that had been bugging her but she had been too busy to bring up as the topic demanded her full undivided attention. Of course now she could give it so she spoke.

"Severus."

"Yes?"

"I was wondering, when we were going to set the date for our wedding? I did promise you that when I came back we would get married." She smiled as she said this.

"Well, I haven't really thought about a date but I would like it to be soon. Did you have any ideas?" A sly smile slithered it's way across her thin face. "What?" He asked starring into her now playful eyes.

"I kinda had this idea about getting married on Christmas eve. I mean think about it, what better Christmas present could you give me than to let me wake up in your arms, on Christmas morning as Mrs. Severus Snape.?" She smiled again as her eyes glittered. Severus took a draft of his butterbeer and seemed to be considering it for a moment.

"Well, I suppose you have a point. And how could I say no to that face." He said running his fingers along her jaw. "The 24th is fine with me." He said before brushing their lips together. "But where will it be?"

"I was kind of thinking under the full moon which will be out that night, yes, under the moon on the forest edge by the lake, at the castle. What do you think?"

"It sounds like something you would come up with. Something dark, mysterious, and yet highly appealing. Of course I'll talk to the headmaster about arranging it." He kissed her again. "I assume, you want people to be there." He said already knowing the answers.

"Of course, after all, odd as it is I am a student and do have some acquaintances. I think it should be open to anyone who stays for the holidays and wishes to attend." He said nothing but they both knew he would agree.

Hours later they returned to the castle for dinner, and after for Shaddi more studying. She had made a habit of bringing a book to the table every night and doing any reading she could amongst the distraction of the food she denied herself through the day.

Around midnight after making sure Severus was no where near the dungeons. (He was out prowling the corridors, hunting students out after hours.) Shaddi grabbed her cloak and changed her robes, they were now low cut velvet, and her neck showed all the way down to her collar bones. There were a set of bite marks on each side of her throat. She left the Dungeon and snuck out the front door. Once free of the castle she bolted for the forest but a she passed the green houses someone spoke to her. A sort of low choked half whisper.

"Your going to them aren't you?"

* * *


	20. Dissaproval: Part 3

**Chapter Twenty: Dissaproval, Part 3**

Shaddi did a sharp about face, wand and revolver in hand pointed into the shadows where the voice had drifted from.

"Show yourself." She said with a demanding air. Severus emerged from his shadowy hiding place, his cloak and robes caught on the evening breeze. He didn't look angry as he saw her change of dress and, the marks. He looked hurt, and the feeling of evil power that surrounded him normally was gone and he seemed vulnerable; as if he were ill. Shaddi lowered her weapons and turned her head away.

"Well, answer me. Are you going to them or not?" He voice grew demanding and he had an angry glint in his eyes.

"Yes."

"Why, what do they have to offer you? What makes you going back to them every single night? Yes, I know you go out there every night, I've watched you." He moved closer and drew her into the shadows with him, not one person could have seen them there. He held her close and kept repeating the same questions over and over, still with no answers. After some time a breeze whispered to them and Shaddi pulled away.

"I'm sorry Severus. Please just go back into the castle." She was near tears and was begging him to leave her.

"No, not until you tell me why." She sighed and raised her wand again.

"I am sorry, _Petrificus Totalus!_" Severus snapped to attention and fell backwards onto his back, making a soft thud on the grass. Shaddi rushed to his side. She was crying and shaking now. "I'm so sorry, I'll move you when I get back." With his wide frozen eyes staring straight up at her, flooded with anger, she left him there still darting off into the forest. She only slowed to a walk once she could no longer see the lights of the castle through the trees. She picked her way through the trees for fifteen minutes, before she made it to her destination.

Draco walked across the dark grounds, a beautiful Slytherin girl on his arm. They passed by the green houses laughing slightly at something Draco had said. That was when they both spotted something laying to the grass near the end of the shadows. They moved closer Draco in front, wand raised.

_"Lumos."_ His wand tip lit, both gasped. There laying trapped in the body binding curse, was his very own head of house. Professor Snape. The pair moved over to the professor, Draco muttered the counter curse and Snape sat up.

"What are you two doing out at this hour?" Snape hissed dangerously, furious that his students had to rescue him from his bride-to-be's spell.

"We... well... I..." They both muttered, stumbling over meaningless words.

"Forget it. Get back to the castle and ten points from Slytherin." They fled fuming that a deduction of points was their reward for helping their professor. Once Snape saw that they were indeed back into the castle he darted off toward the forest.

Shaddi came to a clearing deep into the forest; the shadows here were thick and pitch black. The clearing was very much like the one she had been held in during her captivity with Jordan's coven. Only this time she came on her own, of her own free will. She stepped into the middle of the clearing and stopped. And single beam of moonlighting breaking through the canopy and falling over her, like some kind of ghostly spotlight. She relaxed a bit until she heard the forest go deathly still. No footsteps sounded, it wasn't until a gentle hand slithered its way around her waist did she calm down. She let her body go almost limp as the person embraced her. Her head lolled to the side and she felt the sharp bite of twin sabers as fangs drove deep into her throat. A deep soft moan escaped the vampire's throat. Pleasure being driven into Shaddi as the skeletally pail hands ran up and down her velvet clad sides, from her hips to her breasts and back again. Her eyes remained closed even as she felt a second cold hard body press against hers. She hardly gasped as the second pair of fangs entered the other side of her neck, leaving her suspended between the vampires, in a state of complete bliss.

Severus did his best not to make a sound as he darted through the trees. He stopped when he saw a figure up ahead, then with the highest caution he kept moving until he found a low hanging branch he climbed into the tree. He watched as a tall thin hooded figure glided up behind Shaddi and slipped its arms around her. As Shaddi gave into it and supported its blood lust. Horrified he sat even as a second hooded beat came and made a meal of his lover. It seemed he sat there for hours unable to tear his eyes away from the site before him. At last when he thought he could take no more, something happened. The three of them split apart. One by one they embraced the mortal and then they set off, a vampire on either side of Shaddi, back toward the castle. Severus followed at a distance, never letting them out of his sight. It wasn't until the moon began to break through the trees once again that anything more happened.

Shaddi heard the voice inside her head, sweet and honey.

_Your lover is here, watching us right now. _

_So?_ The thought drifted through her mind.

_Should we do something about him? _A second sweet voice sounded.

_No. Let's just go. Let him follow._

It was a time before Shaddi came to a dead stop. The vampires stopped and looked at her their faces hidden by the cloaks.

"What is it love?" One spoke, it's voice ringing softly on the night air.

"Severus." Shaddi sang in a sinister way. "I know your there come out, or I hex you out." It was a taunting sort of threat, which made the hair on the back of his neck rise. He stepped out of his shadowy hiding place to be greeted by the strangest of looks from Shaddi. It was a look he couldn't quite name. But it wasn't anger and that was something he was current grateful for.

"Come on." she said more to the vampires than to him. The four of them headed back toward the castle. They were accompanied by the guard of immortals all the way to the dungeons where they both gave Shaddi a hug. Severus was sure he saw them each take one last bite, but he said nothing; busying himself with unlocking the door. Once the vampires vanished from sight Severus held the door open for Shaddi. She stepped inside without a word and moved off into the darkness of the study where a single candle was lit.

Knowing she wanted to be alone Severus did not go after her. He knew she would dive into her books the way Granger did and the way Shaddi always had whenever something bothered her. He got ready for bed and climbed under the sheets, then lay awake in the dark for hours waiting. After some time her heard her come into the bed room and climb into bed still saying nothing to him and knowing full well he was awake. She turned away from him and curled into a tight ball on her side of the bed. He reached out a hand gently touching her shoulder. She pushed it away. Severus heard a sob and lay helpless as the one he loved so much cried herself to sleep for the first time in a long time.

Severus woke up alone, he stretched his hand out to hold Shaddi but she wasn't there. He sat up and looked around, only to find he was indeed alone. The bathroom door was closed but no sound came from inside. He got up and dressed. He found Shaddi in the kitchen a steaming mug of tea in her hand. She wasn't pouring over her books but sit quietly purusing _The _D_aily Prophet_. Severus made himself a cup of tea and sat opposite her.

"Good morning." He said quietly.

"Morning." Her voice was stiff, but held sorrow. He sighed and raised his hand. He pushed the paper aside. She looked up at him ghosts of tears lining her eyes. The collar of her robes wasn't done up properly and he could slightly see one of the fresh bites. She saw his eyes flicker down and turned her head away pulling her collar up and trying to fasten it. Her hands shook and she couldn't get the buttons done. Severus came around the table and kneeled; taking her hands away he did up the buttons for her.

"Thank you." She said

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have followed you." He said holding her hands

"Severus, I didn't want you to see. I know it's awful to watch."

"I just want to understand. Why do you go to them?"

"If you have to know; those two are possibly the only reasons that I am still alive. After the Dark Lord, like all of us there were those who were looking for me. And those who thought I could bring him back. I ran, deep into forests far away. I didn't eat, I didn't sleep, I just kept running. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. I was weak, cold, scared, and I wanted to die. I tried to kill myself; I cut my throat open and lay near the river bleeding to death. I don't remember what happened, but I woke up. I was in a place that was not familiar to me, a moist cave, which smelt of mold. It was them, the very same to vampires that you saw last night. They gave me an offer that I couldn't refuse. They told me that I could help them and live, without fear of my enemies. Or that they could end my life right there. Then they left me, alone with a platter of food and my wand. I don't know how long I stayed there, but they came just after I finished the food.

_"Well?"_ they asked. I told them I would help them in any way I could. Their request was simple, they wanted a house, a big house where they could stay. It would have been nothing to kill someone and take what they wanted, but they wanted to do it another way. So for weeks I charmed and transfigured. They found my things to brew my potions. And they kept their word. Dark wizards swept the area they chased them off. For when the Dark Lord fell, vampires stopped corporation with wizard men and women. When the ministry came looking for Death Eaters, they disposed of them. And all the while I worked. It took nearly three months but I finished their house. I would have been happy to leave, but they asked me to stay. So I did, it was them who really helped me perfect my age shifting abilities.

"When I left they let me go, I traveled for some time. When I heard of the Dark Lord's resurrection, I went back to them, they told me to return to Hogwarts, that I could be safe there. So I came when I reached the dark forest I found werewolf tracks and that was when I found the beast. He chased me all the way onto the grounds and when I tried to shoot him he tossed me thought that window. That one move was the end of him. I played the whole event up like it was an accident that I ended up here, knowing full well that Dumbledore would see through everything and invite me back. Or at least ask me why I returned in the first place. And that's the rest of the story on how I got here." He looked at her.

"But I still don't understand why you still go to them."

"Severus don't you, see. They saved my life. If they had let me die, I never would have come back. I never would have seen you again. With me they never have to hunt, it ensures the safety of the students and creatures of the forest. And I feed them out of gratitude. They kept me safe so now I keep them safe. It's a fair exchange."

"I see. So that was where you went for that time. You went back to that house."

"Yes."

"But why?"

"These two are powerful, I begged them to help me, even after they have done so much for me. I pleaded for them to help me fight Jordan. And it took me a long time but I finally managed. I brought them back with me because we can only travel at night It took longer. Then I had to make them shelter. So I spent some time in the forest making sure they would be safe from the day light hours."

"But how did you make your case?"

"I simply told them what Jordan has been doing. They do not approve. Both of them are quite a bit older than Jordan, old as he is, these two are ancient. They have agreed to help me. Of course there is a price."

"What would that be?" He sounded suspicious as if afraid she would be taken away from him forever.

"Two things; One: I have already done," Severus raised an eyebrow. "Their house had fallen into disrepair and they asked me, as the builder, to fix it; which I gladly did."

"And the other?"

"An open invitation, to our wedding." She smiled, and he followed suit.

"So that was why it had to be at night."

"Exactly."

"So is Jordan dead yet?"

"No, they are only going to assist me, in the end I will be the one to kill him." She glanced at her watch. "Enough of this we should go to breakfast." With that they left Shaddi changing her age at the door.

And so the day went on, after lunch the Gryffindors had a break and used the time to get in their Quidditch practice. As soon as they were back on the ground Shaddi was gone headed off to a yet another class, school bag in hand. By the time dinner rolled around Shaddi was too grateful, she hadn't eaten properly in days and with the task of feeding tow vampires at her hand she was starved and a little weak. However before she made in back into the castle, out of Care of Magical Creatures, a headache attacked her. She leaned on a wall for support and brought a hand to her head.

_"Shaddi."_ A magical voice drifted through her head.

_I'm here. _

_"There coming, They are going to strike while your all at dinner. You know the plan, get ready. Go!"_ Her headache subsided and she ran into the castle nearly flattening a few first years and she darted into the dungeons. She through her bag into a chair as she entered Severus' chambers. He wasn't there, it meant he was already at dinner. She hadn't much time and she had to be quick. She ran through the study her books and scrolls were everywhere. Her threw books off of shelves and found the potions she had brewed and hidden. She put those into the small bag she grabbed off the table. Her wand was already in her belt. As soon and she had every vial and throwing her revolver into its holster, she tied the bag to her belt next to her wand and ran up to dinner. Surprisingly she even made it on time. The food appeared just as she sat down. She ignored most of the things and just grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and downed it. Her hands were steady, which was a good thing. She downed another glass of juice and just as she finished that all the light was taken from the hall. Shaddi stood.

_"Lumos!"_ The wand lit and she appeared in her shinny plastic battle attire. She moved slowly around to the front of the hall. Upon where she conjured sliver flames into her open left hand. The small crackling fire lit nearly the entire hall. As it did Shaddi found several immortals bounding toward her. Raising her hand the flames shot upward and as her hand sung down the flames twisted like a whip. The first vampire dogged the flames only to be struck as it whipped back. Shaddi didn't stay to watch the creature burn to death. She darted away just in time to be tackled by a female. As they hit the ground the flames wrapped around the vampire's throat and caused her to let go. Screams echoed around the hall as a few more vampires tried their luck and were cast down by Shaddi's dancing whip of metallic fire. As the last vampire fell the horror struck students were completely illuminated by the dancing flames of the burning vampire bodies scatted about the hall.

"Jordan!" Shaddi called out. "I know you're out there, come out, come out, wherever you are." She said in a sing song voice ignoring her ragged breathing. No one in the hall moved, only Shaddi, ever so slowly turning her head to scan the hall. Finally she spotted him near the oak doors standing with Cheza and the remaining vampires at his side. It seemed he had acquired some help for there were new faces Shaddi did not know. Jordan clapped his hands and the vampires spread out. She watched as they grabbed at students. Those threatened screamed and struck out at the immortals trying to get them away. Shaddi pulled out her wand and pointed it at the nearest vampire.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_ The vampire few backwards in the eruption of green light, and rolled over moaning in pain, still very much alive, so to speak.

"Jordan your fight is with me, so keep it as such. Leave the rest out of this!" She yelled her wand now pointed at him.

"As you wish." He smiled and clapped his hands, the group of immortals surrounded her, snarling and clawing at her body. She sent out a jet of flame and hit three causing the other to back up, but only for a second before they started to close in again. Shaddi bolted toward the Syltherin table sending more flames behind her. Using his superior speed one of them thought it would be a good idea to get in front of her. He found he was wrong as she blasted him off his feet and with a single curse tore him into several pieces.

_"Acico!"_ She pointed her wand at a large knife which came to her aid. As she felt the handle enter her hand she drove it threw the nearest immortal's throat. Afterwards pulling it out and tapping it. It transfigured into a long sliver sword engraved with a emerald set serpent. With a great singing sound every vampire within five feet of her died of decapitation.

It was then that something odd caught her eye. It was a little girl. She couldn't have been more than seven years old. There she stood like a gleaming porcelain doll, in a beautiful pink dress bedecked with powder blue bows on the dresses trim and well as in the girl's beautiful ash blond hair. The little one tilted her head with a confused look, before it shot upright and she snarled revealing long saber-like fangs. She lunged at Shaddi who thrust the sword out in front of her running the blade straight threw the tiny chest. The little one made a tiny heart wrenching cry of pain before being split in two as Shaddi pulled the sword upward. She paused for a moment as agony ripped through her heart. She had only been a child.

"Shaddi look out!" Someone yelled, she turned around in time to meet the blow of Cheza as she threw her into the wall and sunk her fangs into Shaddi's neck. Shaddi's scream echoed off the stone walls, long, loud and shrill. It was perhaps a second later that Cheza was ripped away from Shaddi and had her head ripped off by one of the cloaked vampires Shaddi had been feeding in the forest. Jordan followed right behind only he didn't grab at Shaddi he dove past her and plucked Draco Malfoy away from the Slytherins.

"Let go of me!" Draco screamed as Jordan pulled him to his chest. Jordan's eyes met Shaddi's for a split second before he drove his fangs into Draco. The blond let out a horrid yell of anguish before Jordan tore his jaws away taking most of Draco's hide with him. Shaddi shouted something and a large jet of light shot from her wand leaving a bleeding Draco unharmed as it went through him and blasted Jordan away. One of Shaddi's allies grabbed him as he tried to get at her. The other was busy feasting on Cheza, but Shaddi couldn't care. She ran to Draco's side and held his head up. His eyes swiveled to her and he tried to speak, but was unsuccessful. Shaddi brought her wand tip to his wound and began muttering healing spells. Finally when he would was barley bleeding she pulled out one of the potions and poured it on the remaining abrasion. It healed over. Draco's eyes were still focused on her. She told him to drink the next vial which he did. Once it was down, she dragged him back to his fellow house mates, then stood.

"Shaddi now!" The other called as it held off Jordan who was now also trying to get at Shaddi. Shaddi grabbed the small bag and opened it she grabbed one of the vials inside and tore the cork from it. She stood and downed it. Once it was gone the vial slipped from her numb fingers. She hit the floor next to the Slytherin table twisting and screaming in pain. Her skin seemed to pulse until it was the color of bleached bone. When she finally stopped screaming she was on her stomach. She rose to her feet with a full curtain of pitch black hair falling over most of her face. As she looked up at Jordan he found himself looking back into venomous violet eyes and a fanged snarling face, the face of a vampire.


	21. Bloodlust and Bondage

**Chapter Twenty-one: Bloodlust and Bondage**

All Shaddi could see was her enemy, Jordan. Her ally vampire ducked aside as Shaddi raced at him. He dogged her but only by a hair. He turned tail and headed for the door but was blocked by Shaddi's other cloaked vampire. It was then that Shaddi caught him. From behind she grabbed his shoulders and threw him, slamming him down onto the Slytherin table. She flipped him over so he was on his back, her face twisted into a satisfied smile as she moved in for the kill. With a snarl she drove her fangs into him, as he had done so many times to her. She enjoyed the scream he produced for her as she drank greedily. She could hear others screams as well, but didn't care. She drank until she felt he heart slow and then she quickened her drafts. until she felt the well run dry. When she pulled back. she turned her eyes to the nearest student which happened to be a Slytherin first year. The girl cowered as Shaddi set her empty and lustful eyes on her. Once Shaddi stood to her full height the girl was nearly screaming. Both of the only true vampires remaining grabbed Shaddi and with great difficulty drug her from the hall.

Once they were gone no one moved, they all sat stunned. For the first time everyone noticed that Severus had risen from his chair and was standing in the middle of the hall. barley visible in the dancing sliver light from the hardly burning corpses of the vampires. The teachers rose and returned light to the hall. Only then was it visible the amount of carnage they lay within Hogwarts. Thirty vampires lay scattered around the great hall. Everyone of them dead. The students were starting to buzz with horror at what they had just seen. Shaddi was a vampire. How could that be?

Severus heard a set of footsteps and turned (along with everyone else) to the doors. The vampires stood there hoods no longer obscuring their faces. They were a pair of porcine twin dolls. No older than twenty-five. Long deep-blood red hair hanging to their waists. the only difference between them was that the girl on the left had venomous violet eyes, the exact shade of Shaddi's. While the other's eyes were a shimmering set of emeralds. They moved into the hall and up toward Severus. when they were five feet from him they kneeled and then stood.

"We bring you our deepest condolences." The emerald eyed one said. "I am Alexandria and this is my sister, Aria."

"What is it you two want, exactly?" Severus asked his voice struggling to be calm.

"We have to tell you of a few things regarding Shaddi's current, condition."

"Such as." Professor McGonagall said standing.

"Well first off, her vampiric state isn't permanent. I'm sure your potions master can tell you the properties of the Vampirus Elixir." The one called Aria said waving a hand toward Severus.

"Vampirus Elixir! But that was outlawed one-hundred years ago, it's not even legal to brew mush less drink." McGonagall stated in a high pitched voice.

"Of course it really is a very simple thing to make, I can even see where she got vampire blood. Right here." Severus said gesturing toward the twins.

"Yes, I will confess I did give her my blood. However niter of us wanted this for her."

"Really and why is that?" He asked, a bit of bite of his voice.

"Because I know where she is right now!" Aria shouted. "Shortly before my own permeant transformation I too took The Vampirus Elixir. Look at my eyes. and you will have no trouble believing me, I'm sure." It was true her eyes were in fact that shade of violet that made you think they would glow in the dark. "I lived my mortal life before the out lawing of this potion, I was one of five people who took it. I was the only one who kept the eyes. Others kept fangs, and some had hair that was pitch black for the rest of their days. I was also the only one who was later turned into a true vampire."

"Why would you keep the eyes?" McGonagall asked confused.

"Minirvera,surly you know every person is different." Severus said

"Well of course Severus." She seemed inpatient now.

"Well then you can understand that, every person reacts to potions differently. In regards to this potion some keep certain traits such as fangs or oddly colored eyes while some keep nothing at all. The only thing everyone has in common it that the change to vampirism is never permanents."

"And" Aria added "Unlike true vampires, who can drink the blood of animals in order to live. Those under the influence of The Vampirus Elixir have no choice but to drink human blood." The hall went dead silent.

"There is still one more problem." Alexandria said. "Strong a person as she was Shaddi is a very strong vampire, and she drank the blood of an even stronger immortal." She waved her hand at the flesh covered skeletal body of Jordan. "Now her strength rivals ours. As you saw it takes both of us to move her."

"And." Severus said

"Well we cruelty have her locked in our house deep in the forest. However with that strength she won't be kept there long." Aria cut in.

"And if she escapes this school is in danger. For she knows no one and nothing now. Even you Severus, the one whom she loves more than anything, would die violently at her hand. She needs to be confined in a stronger prison."

"This all for three days." Severus said. Aria laughed a high and musical laugh that rung off the walls.

"Three days normally." She said "However as we have already stated, she drank the blood of a powerful coven leader, she is now looking at a minimum of two weeks. A vampire needs to feed every two days, so instead of looking at one feeding session she's looking at seven. All of which she will remember."

"And if she doesn't feed."

"She will die" Aria said

"But that very well might be her fate." said the other. "I mean how many would hand themselves over to that?"

"I'll do it." Severus said

"No!" The twins said at once. Then Aria,

"Do you understand what that would do to her? She will remember every person she feeds from. And should that person be you. It would drive her insane. And she would never forgive herself for it. No you won't be the one."

"I'll do it." Everyone looked toward the Slytherins. Draco was standing holding the edge of the able. He moved toward the others. Once he was within conversation range he spoke again. "Let me do it."

"Do realize what you would be doing?" Aria said stepping over and around him. Her body nearly touching his. He shuddered as he felt her icy breath on his neck.

"Yes." Everyone could hear the struggle to keep his voice even "But I don't have a choise. She saved my life, it's only fair that I help her in return." The sisters looked at each other and nodded.

"But what's to stop her from killing him?" McGonagall asked.

"We'll be there to pull her away. Don't worry about that."

"But now how do we stop her from running off?" Aria asked

"We'll confine her in one of the lowest dungeons. We'll have it reinforced so she can't break out." Dumbledore said.

"Then it should be done soon, by soon I mean now. I don't know how long she stay in the cell where we've got her." Alexandria said.

"All right, Prefects take you houses back to their common rooms. No one is to leave under any condition." Dumbledore said, the students began to file out. Draco was stopped by Aria.

"You should stay with us." The group of teachers, vampires and Malfoy headed down to the lowest dungeon. Professor McGonagall had the task of transfiguring the door. So that not even the twins combined strength could break it. then there was the matter of restraints. The strongest sliver coated with unbreakable charms, created by Flitwick and McGonagall were made so that Shaddi couldn't kill Draco from the start when he got in the door. The chain that would connect around her neck was the only one draco would have the ability to get off. The others would have to be removed by the twins. And finally the addition of two coffins where the twins would stay.

"All right I believe were ready for her. Draco, now that you have seen the set up you may go back to your dorm. We will come get you tomorrow for the first feeding." Aria said, he nodded and left, very pail.

"Well now that it's all ready, let us go get her."

"Severus I think it would be best if you didn't come." Aira said to him.

"Why is that." He was now starting to get angry.

"She won't want you to see her like this. Believe me."

"I'm going and that's final." He half shouted. Alexandria put a hand on her sister's shoulder before she could retort. Aria gave up.

"Whatever, you have to marry her, not me."

"Let's go." Alexandria said, they headed down to the forest and waited for Hagrid to get his crossbow, the twins telling everyone it would be a good idea. Once he and Fang returned they set off into the forest. At their speed it took then nearly an hour and a half, but finally they reached the small cabin. Severus could see why it took her time to build. It was beautiful. Solid granite, two stories, with all the gothic touches. A balcony with carved stone guardrails, gargoyles on top of the roofs, and a small tower with bared windows. Alexandria pointed to the tower.

"That is where we have her. Now what ever you do, you cannot scream. Vampires feed off of a mortals fear as much as they do blood. And screaming will only influence her." They went into the house, the work she had done was just a beautiful in here. hard wood floors were prized in the low lighting of the teachers wands. Once they reached the tower door they could her growling and thrashing.

"Listen to me." Aria said. "If she gets loose, I don't want to hear complaints I want you to hit her with a killing curse. She is in every sense immortal and will not die but will be stunned for a second, but that's all we need. For you Hagrid, you just shoot her, if you must. But none of you are to hesitate if you have a shot. take it, or she'll take you." They nodded and stepped back as the twins opened the door.

The sight that met their eyes was horrifying. Shaddi was chained from the ceiling and floor. She was desperately trying to break the bonds holding her. Severus could see that she had one hand free and was clawing at the other. Sharp nails dug into the flesh and drew blood. The wounds healed even as she cut in again. She looked up as they entered everyone pointing a weapon at her. Alexandria had the very sword Shaddi had transfigured in the Great Hall and Aria had one very similar to it. Which Severus could only assume Shaddi had given her.

"Ready?" Aria asked, they all nodded, the twins stepped forward and put the swords to her throat. Shaddi stopped trashing. Snarls still came from her. They raised the swords and cut the chain from the celling. Shaddi lashed out at Aria only to receive a slash across the midsection from her sister. She let out a scream and fell to the floor clutching her ribs where the blade had cut her open. the sister cut the chains around her ankles and drug her to her feet. She tried to get loose again but met a blow to the back of the head from the pummel of Aria's sword. Her head hung and she groaned. Alexandria nodded of McGonagall who transfigured a piece of the wall into a large stone coffin. The twins restrained Shaddi inside. Once the lid was closed and locked she began to trash and snarl again.

"Come one before she rips this thing apart." Alexandria said. Hagrid held one end while the twins each took the other. They set off back toward the castle. Those not holding the coffin still had their wands drawn. It was a very difficult trip back to the castle. Shaddi's spasmodic movements kept threatening to run to coffin over. At one point she was successful during which she tried to get out. Severus was forced to curse her. After forcing her back into the coffin they made it up to the castle. Shaddi must have woken up every student who was asleep, her cries and growls rebounded off the walls floors throughout the castle as they moved down to the dungeons. Once they were at the room prepared for her they drug the coffin into it and let her out. The teachers stood outside listening as the twins restrained Shaddi. When they emerged Aria was sporting several deep cuts on her face and hands, while Alexandria had a crater in the side of her face. both had nearly had their clothing ripped from them.

"Well she's all set. She should calm down in a bit."

"Are you two alright?" Dumbledore asked.

"Oh yes, we'll be fine, these are just scratches, they heal soon enough. And she was right, the scars across her face were already staring to close, and her sisters face was starting to fill out again. "Well should get the hall cleaned up."

"It's already bee taken care of. I'm sure the house elves have done a brilliant job with it." Dumbledore said.

"Well that if that's everything, I guess you should all get to bed, we've all had a long night." Aria said, they began to leave. "And Severus." He turned to look at her. "She's going to be alright. You should be congratulated for what you did in the forest. She will thank you for it."

"Why would she do that?" He asked coldly.

"Because, when I took this potion, I killed my lover. That was why I didn't want you to go. I had hoped on saving you both from that heartache. No, I killed him, I killed him because he couldn't do me harm. One doesn't know love in this state, he couldn't keep me away. And to this day I remember his screams as he died, even in my dreams. But you, you did it, I saw how much it hurt you but you did it. And she will thank you for it. Good night." She went back into the chamber with her sister and Shaddi.

Severus went back to his chambers alone and thought of going to sit in the study. When he entered he found it destroyed. He almost got mad until he found a broken vial on the floor. After assessing it he realized it was a stray vial of the Vampirus Elixir, she had brewed it in his chambers, with instructions from his books, and the ingredients from his stores, and the blood of her vampires. But all and all she couldn't have done it without him. He cleaned the room and returned his and her things to their respective places. After that he took a long hot shower. When he was out he dressed for bed, and threw himself down upon his mattress. Upon his night stand rested a picture of him and Shaddi in Hogsmead. They were standing sitting in the Three Broomsticks, holding hands and smiling. Every now and them they would salute Severus with their mugs, as they hugged. Severus groaned as he looked at the picture. He rolled over and stuffed his face into a pillow. Waiting for morning to come.

* * *

In the days to come everyone could see the strain that feeding was having upon Draco, he was always pail and fatigued. During meals he could nearly out eat Crabbe and Goyle. They saw the extent of his trauma during potions one day when he was bringing his vial up to be graded when he fainted and his potion shattered across the dungeon floor causing he's skin to burn a bit. He was put into the hospital wing until it was time for him to feed Shaddi again. Severus too suffered, as he watched Draco deteriorate. He prepared potions for him to help him stay awake, to help him rejuvenate. And for them both to sleep without dreams at night.

Shortly before the Christmas break Dumbledore announced that Severus and Shaddi's wedding would be held on Christmas Eve and that all who wished to attend were invited to stay through the holidays. Those who chose to stay were mostly from Gryffindor and Slytherin and few from the other houses stayed and those who didn't wished Severus congratulation and said they would send gifts in the mail. A few people wondered if Shaddi would be in any condition to be married on the set date. But the twins assured everyone that she was only days off, from recovering.

With Christmas just one week away and Shaddi still unrecovered Severus was starting to worry. The twins summoned Draco and told him that if al was right it would be the last night he would have to feed her. He held his head high as they walked down to the dungeons. Draco had the procedure down by heart now. Door open, inside release the manacles and brace for impact. And this shouldn't be any different. However something was different. When they reached the door They turned to him before they opened it.

"Listen to me" Aria said " I know that really should be the last time you feed her, but let me warn you, this is the time she will take the most. Before your were able to walk away. I guarantee you won't walk away this time. She will but no means kill you however she will come very close. I have already warned the nurse and she is waiting for you along with Severus, in the hospital wing. After tonight Shaddi will be human once again. And she will have you to thank for it. For tonight she will draw the human essence right out of you and bring herself back to life with it. This means you will be put in allot of pain, and this is the the time to say you don't want to do this. If you have any doubt in your mind about this, speak now."

"I'm ready, I've come this far. I'm going to finish what I started." He said with dead determination.

"All right you know what to do." They opened the door and they all went in. Draco could already see the change occurring within Shaddi. The ends of her hair were once again Platinum blonde like his own. Her skin was no longer with like the moon but held a greenish tinge as if she were fatally I'll. The plastic like garments which had been tight on her in pervious days were now loose as if she were starved. But it was her eyes that still held the beast. As they door shut and locked, her head snapped up and she growled. He saw her eyes were in fact void of all things human. they glinted with bloodlust and rage. The vampire twins undid Shaddi's arms and legs as she lunged at Draco she was ripped back by the collar around her neck. Draco Raised his wand.

_"Alohamora!"_ He commanded, the binding fell to the floor with a clatter. Shaddi looked at it for a second then dove on Draco. She slammed him into the door with such forced that his head snapped back contacting with the stone and blinding him with dancing stars. He only knew what was going on from the splitting pain on his throat and She dug her fangs into him. He gasped in pain and griped her sides, but he didn't dare struggle, he still had marks from the last time he tried that. Beside he couldn't have moved if he had wanted to, she had the full weight of her body and all her strength holding him in place. Somehow, Draco thought, when he imagined being held up against the wall by this woman he never thought she would be drinking his blood. His vision steadily went dark and he lost his consciousness.

* * *

When next Draco woke he found himself in the hospital wing with Madam Pomfery and Professor Snape. The nurse smiled as he opened his eyes, Snape nodded and told him to drink the potion he handed him. Once it was down he fell back asleep.

When Draco woke up again, the hospital wing was dark and moonlight was casting a very odd shadow on the ceiling, he turned to see what the shadow was and found leaning against the window was someone with bright violet eyes. Seeing he was awake the person moved closer to Draco, as she passed by another window moonlight danced off the face of Shaddi Ravencroft. It seemed she had gotten a Shower and changed her clothes, for now she was in slacks and white poet's shirt and a black velvet blazer. Draco nearly screamed until he noticed something different. She was still skeletally thin and had purple eyes, but that was where the difference was. Her eyes now held tears and pleading. As sat on the edge of his bed and looked at the floor.

"Shaddi." He whispered. "Is that you?"

"Yes Draco, It's me." She said her voice breaking. Draco could see she still had fangs. "I'm so sorry, for everything." A single crystal tear ran down the side of her thin face.

"Don't, no, don't cry. He sat up and whipped the tear from her face. "I asked to do it. They didn't make me, I told them I wanted to." She looked at him tears still threatening to fall from her eyes. Draco sighed, it was a Malfoy's duty to be strong and never waist time on the emotional, but he couldn't help it, not this time. He drew Shaddi into his arms and held her close and she cried on his shoulder. After sometime she stopped crying and just sat there in Draco's arms. Then she pulled away, much to Draco's dismay.

"I should go, I have other people to see. I just felt I should see you first, above others. I felt you deserved an apology for the pain I put you in."

"Don't worry about it." He said laying back. She nodded then smiled in a sly way. "What?" He asked, she leaned and kissed him on the cheek then stood and left with a wink. He smiled and settled into the pillows.

Shaddi swept down the corridors heading toward the Headmaster's office, somehow she knew he would be there waiting for her. Once she was in front of his door she knocked, and just as she thought, he beckoned her in. As she entered he smiled at her. She took her usual seat in front of his desk and looked at him.

"Well I'm glad to see your, yourself again." He said with a smile

"Trust me Professor your not the only one." She said quietly. "That is something I never want to do again."

"I would hope not. You gave us quite the scare. I dare say Severus is in a right state." That was when she remembered the forest.

"I almost killed him." She whispered remembering the curse.

"I took great strength for him to turn his wand on you, he loves you very much and was destroyed that he did such a thing."

"Yes, but I would have been hurt more if he had let me get at him."

"I'm sure you would have been. Well I thank you for coming to see me, and I think you would do well to go see Severus now. Goodness knows he's been waiting to see you sence we put you in there." His eyes twinkled at her. She got up to leave and he called her back. "Shaddi." She looked at him. "The fangs, they suit you." Shaddi rolled her eyes and smiled. Then she left heading for the dungeons.

Severus twitched in his sleep. It felt like a bug landed on his face. He swiped it away and met something alive. "Ow." Someone said as he hit them. He opened his eyes and turned his wand in hand pointed at the intruder. Shaddi jumped off the bad and took a few steps backward her hand in view.

"Severus!" She said hoping he wouldn't curse her through the wall. He blinked and looked closer in the darkness.

_"Lumos!"_ His wand tip lit and the light fell across Shaddi. Her blazer gone the light sparkled on the ruffles of her shirt and the platinum strands of her hair. His eyes widened upon seeing her. "Shaddi!" He said then he ran to her gathering her in his arms. He kissed her and pulled back when his tongue came in contact with of her her fangs. "Ouch!" He said, he looked at her curiously.

"Sorry, they kind of stuck with me." She said bringing a hand to her lips.

"Along with the eyes." He said, she nodded. "How do you feel?" He asked

"Tired?"

"Hungry?" She groaned

"Please Severus, don't even mention food. Unfortunately enough I'm still digesting blood, and the thought of real food makes me want to be sick." He hugged her again.

"I'm sorry, do you want anything?"

"Sleep." She said. He smiled again,

"Well then, lets get you into bed." He picked her up and with a twitch of his wand pulled the covers the rest of the way back. With a soft flump he dropped her unto the bed and climbed in next to her. With his arms around her fell fell into the first real sleep he had had since the incident.

* * *

Severus woke to find Shaddi shaking and in a cold sweat. Mumbling things which made no sense to him at all. She would thrash every now and then. He watched her for a moment and when she let out a short scream he had had enough. He gently grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Shaddi!" Violet eyes shot open and focused on him. Her breathing ragged and strained. "Are you alright?" She sat up and put her head in her hands, tears silently began to fall from her eyes. She felt Severus wrap his arms around her and rock her gently back and forth. Once she was calm she went and took a shower to help calm her nerves. When she came out she found Severus in the living room reading a book.

"Good morning." She said and she dropped onto the couch next to him.

"Feeling better?" He asked

"Let me ask you something. How do you think you would feel after having to kill a child, then have that child revisit you in your dreams?"

"Even if the child is a bloodthirsty vampire. Bent on killing you?" He asked.

"Yes Severus."

"I honestly don't know, how I would feel."

"Well I feel like absolute shit. And to top it all off I now have to face Draco Malfoy as if I didn't viciously attack him on a bi-nightly basis." He prevented her from saying even one more word by bring their lips together. When they parted Shaddi smiled. "Not fair."

"Who said I had to be fair?"

"Not your students that's for sure."

"Hey! That's not nice."

"Who said I had to be nice?"

"Not vampire covens that's for sure." She raised and eyebrow at him before rolling her eyes "Come on we should get to breakfast."

"I think you'll be surprised at how many people stayed for our wedding." She looked at him surprised. "I asked the Headmaster to announce it before the end of term."

"Well let's go see." She said getting out the door before he had even was off the couch. As he shut the door and stepped into the hall way he saw the sixteen-year-old girl heading toward the entrance hall. As she stepped into the doorway to the Great Hall, Hermione looked up.

"Shaddi!" And not for the last time that year the trio of Gryffindors jumped up from the table and bounded toward the violet eyed girl. She caught Harry and a hug and then was almost knocked off balance by Ron and Hermione as they grabbed her too. Once they let go Shaddi greeted the rest of the Quidditch team. Then those from other houses. Many congratulating her not only on the great fight against the vampires but on her up coming wedding. It was as such that the day went on. At lunch Shaddi had a great conversation with Draco who it seemed did forgive her, and kept repeating that she didn't need to feel bad, every time she brought up an apologies. That night she went to bed feeling better than she had in long time.


	22. Precious Silver

Chapter Twenty-two: Precious Silver

In the days that proceeded December twenty-fourth, Shaddi and Severus could be found darting around making sure everything was in order. The students which chose to remain at Hogwarts for the holidays had never seen Snape in such a state. He looked like the happiest man of earth. It seemed Shaddi brought out the best in him. His hair looked clean, it actually looked healthy and smooth. He had taken on a bounce in his steps and every now and again could be caught humming a wedding march.

"Shaddi!" Someone called, as she turned Shaddi saw it was the ever present Gryffindor trio.

"Ah, what can I do for you." She said with a smile.

"We have, concerns." Harry said,

"About Snape." Ron added.

"What about him?"

"We think he's I'll." Ron put inmatter of factly, as if he wasn't even sad about it.

"Why would you think that?"

"Well he just spotted him in one of the corridors. And he was singing."Hermione said as if trying not to giggle.

"And frankly Shaddi, we never saw Snape as one to sing." Harry said with a smile.

"You bring out the odd in him."

"Who is this man, where is the real Severus Snape, and tell me your not bringing him back, are you?" Ron said shaking her a bit. That was when they heard it, the clearing of someone's throat from behind them. They turned to see Snape standing there scowling. Ron went as ash color, it seemed he had been heard. And right on cue Snape put on a fowl sort of smile.

"Merry Christmas Weasley." He said sarcastically. Then he took Shaddi by the arm and whisked her away. Leaving the trio stunned that Ron was not given detention for life, and didn't suffer the loss of even a single house point. Shaddi really was good for him.

"Lighten up Severus, they were only kidding." He scowled as they went down toward the dungeons. "And besides, I like that they fear you."

"Why is that?" he said as he shut them in his chambers and pushing her up against the closed door.

"Because it means I get to keep the sensual side of you all to myself." She whispered looking into the eyes that were no more than six inches away from her face.

"You know until you came back, I didn't even think I had a heart, a sensual side is news to me." She could hear the years of lonely pain in his voice, see them reflected in his eyes.

"Well trust me it's there." She gave him the lightest of feather kisses across his lips. He looked at her for a split second before capturing her lips. She moaned a bit into the kiss as she ran a hand through his hair. When they broke apart it wasn't without complaint. He took her hand and with the most cunning of smirks he led her toward the bedroom. Once inside he kicked the door shut and kissed her again. That was when she went to work again. Her fingers dancing quickly across the buttons and ties of his robes and shirt. Soon she was given access to nothing but the flesh of his upper body. With one motion he picked her up and had them both on the bed. Within moments her clothing was gone and her own unimpeded flesh was in his arms.

Shaddi took the time to make use of her new appendages. She nipped her lover on the neck letting him know the fangs were still present. Then with a playful growl she grabbed him at the throat and pinned him to the bed. She enjoyed watching the look on his face as she grabbed the zipper of his pants with her teeth and drug it down. Then she kissed him again as she finished riding him of the offending garments. They slid between the sheets and enjoyed the use of Shaddi's fangs.

"Damn, I can see why you keep going back to those twins, if their bites are anything like yours." He gasped as she nibbled at his neck.

"Maybe you can go with me next time and find out what their bites are like." She giggled and kissed him before he could utter another word. As she did he assumed a more dominate role. Rolling her into her back and kissing her along to space between her breasts. She moaned and he kissed lower and lower finally stopping just below her naval. Her gasps of ecstasy echoed a bit in the stone chamber as he  
nibbled on one of her hip bones. He brought his lips lower and lower along her hip line and down to one of her inner things. Shaddi's hand's shot up and seized the top of the headboard digging her nails into the dark wood.

"Sev... Severus!" She called trying to overrule her gasps.

"Yes?" He growled,"-" Her voice was lost to another loud gasp that sounded like a scream of pleasure as his mouth touched her. His tongue probing her entrance, sending electric shivers through her entire being, so deep they might have even rocked her soul. He put a hand on each of her hips and made small circles near her hip bones with his thumbs as he drove his tongue as far into her as he could. She screamed slightly her breath coming in short hot breaths. Severus growled in pleasure at the taste of her. She pouted slightly as he removed his mouth from her. Slithering up her body he covered her mouth with his own. She could taste her self on his tongue, as it played tag with hers.

She gasped into him as she felt his fingers enter her. She ran a hand into his hair as he worked the skin on her neck with his teeth, and the most sensitive regions of her inner being tantalized with his fingers. How he had always longed to get her like this. To see her in his bed helpless, but still something was missing he wanted her to want him more than life would allow, he wanted her to beg. He wanted her to dance on the edge until she couldn't stand it anymore. She felt him sink his teeth into her breast, she couldn't will herself to form words. Even as he drove his fingers deeper into her. As hit he her in a place that no one but him had ever touched.

"Shaddi." He said as he moved lower toward her hips once again.

"Yes..." She managed to gasp before another shallow scream came from her lips as he softly bit down on the tender flesh."What do you want from me, ask anything of me now, and it's is done." It was in a rush, that got the words out. She rolled him over taking his length into her mouth making him gasp with pleasure.

"Take me, take me now." She said before kissing him, forcing him to taste his own manhood. He growled a bit turned her over. He pinned her arms on either side of her head by the wrists. Snatching up his wand, he made sure they would stay there, leaving his hands free for other things. He steadied her hips with his hands and positioned himself above her. He rested his weight carefully on top of her thin form, making sure his erection touched her soft flesh. She gasped as he kissed along her collar bones, both of his hands had slide between their bodies and were now massaging her breasts. She gasped at his talent and fumed for being such an insolent tease.

"Severus,... if you don't do something... I swear when I get... my wand I'll... make you wish-" He kissed her stopping her words abruptly. He began to gnaw at her throat breaking open the freshest of the vampire's bites. Her tasted her blood and bit down harder bringing more blood to the surface. Her took a long draft. Hearing her moan and he continued to bite at the skin.

"Please... please Severus, please." Mission accomplished, he had officially made her his, he had reduced her to a beautiful, begging, sex kitten, and she was all his. He smiled and took one last draft keeping the blood in his mouth, one more thing had. to be done. He kissed her letting her taste her own salty bodily fluid. Then he slid in. She felt her shudder and her muscles clamp around him. Neither of them moved for a moment then he pulled back and plunged in again hard. She screamed and trashed trying to free her hands. Wrapping her legs around him and pulling him closer. He released the spell on her wrists and she drove one hand into his hair while the other went to the head board as he moved in and out of her again, starting a steady rhythm. As the speed built so did the ferocity, Shaddi dug her nails into him as well as her fangs. Clamping onto his shoulder just trying to hold on.

How long they went on neither knew or cared. When Severus finally collapsed it was only out of pure exhaustion, after an explosion that had made them both scream out. For a long time they both lay there. Painting and holding one another. Severus' back was a mess scratched and dug up so badly he doubted that if it were not for healing spells that he surly would not be able to lay on it for a week. His shoulder and neck throbbed from bruises and bite wounds, but he didn't care. Shaddi suffered marks as well, her shoulders and hips were both bleeding from Severus' nails, and one of her breasts had an impression from his teeth, at one point it was bleeding a bit."I love you so much." He whispered to her as he stroked her damp hair. She couldn't find words, she could only turn to him and snuggle into his chest (which also bore her claw marks) and fall to sleep.

When Shaddi woke the found the candles had been lit and that the room was filled with steam. She looked around a found the bathroom door open and light flowing from it. She stood and moved in, stalking over toward the shower, passing the large black marble tub, it's white veins seemed to pulse with the steam that filled the room making the air thick and heavy. She could see Severus' form in the shower as he cleaned himself. With a languid motion she opened the door and slid in. It was only when he heard the click of the door shutting that he turned and saw her. Water starting to cling to her hair, steam already coating her body. She grabbed his already tender shoulders and pushed him against the tiled wall, kissing him, grinding her body against his, arousing him.

"You're too damn good." He whispered as he turned her so her shoulders rocked against the cool tile. She smiled up at him, and he realized that no one else could do that to him. Her violet eyes were intoxicating, and he knew she had him in every way. She ran her hands through his wet hair the warm water dripping down her arms as she did. She felt a sting as he ran a hand over her shoulder. Hissing slightly she looked at it.

"We should take care of that." He said softly.

"And this." She added running a hand along his neck referring to the wound there. He nodded and turned off the water. "Come." She grabbed a set of towels as he took her toward his private lab. It was cold in the lab, Shaddi clutched her towel close to her as she waited for Severus to find what he was looking for. Finally he found it, a set of small vials filled with a metallic looking liquid. He poured a small amount of the substance into his palm and smoothed it onto her skin. She could here it sizzle as it cleaned and repaired the flesh. He did the same to the wounds on her hips and breast. Once he was finished she took the bottle from him and began work on his back and neck. Once finished she set the bottle on the table and began to head back toward the main chambers, where it was  
slightly warmer.

"Off so fast." He said grabbing her wrist and kissing her.

"Yes, it's freezing down here and I can hardly feel my feet." With that she left, to dress and find a warm spot near the fire.

* * *

Finally the day they had all been waiting for arrived. Christmas eve was upon them. Through out the day Shaddi could be found making sure everything was in proper order for the feast that would take place that evening. Severus could be found in the kitchens making sure all the food was there. With only hours left everyone was in a frenzy looking for their long misplaced dress robes, socks, shoes, and Neville's ever lost toad.

By eight that evening it seemed everyone in the castle was extravagantly dressed. Harry and his friends were talking with Professor Flitwick all looking so odd in their unusual dress. Lucius could be seen with his wife and son, all there to honor Severus, Draco was there for both (though he told no one that). The twins stood near the entrance hall doors both in long black corseted dresses, that showed their curves, making the men standing around gape at them in awe.Harry noticed a few people he had never seen before, all dressed in matching uniform dress robes and wearing badges with some kind of symbol Harry had never seen before. They were talking animatedly to Professor Dumbledore and being eyed apprehensively by the Twins.

"Hermione." He said after a moment.

"Yes."

"Do you know what that symbol means." He said nodding toward the group. She looked and her face lit up as she gasped with happiness.

"Their from W.A.N.D."

"W.A.N.D.?" Ron asked,

"Wizards Association of Necromancy and Damnation." She said quickly.

"Necromancy, you mean they sleep with the dead." Ron said disgusted.

"No, stupid, that's necrophilia." She snapped. "Necromancy is the practice of magic, or more commonly known as the practice of magic involving the dead."

"Oh." He said trying not to blush.

"So what do hey do?" Harry asked.

"Well no one is really sure. It is widely known that they deal with creatures who are deemed to be "Damned", such as vampire's, werewolves, or animated corpses such as zombies."

"Why do you suppose their here." Ron asked.

"Shaddi probably knows them, after all she's the one who was surrounded by vampires for so long."

"So do they kill, vampires and werewolves?"

"Not always, from what I've read. they will freely give out wolfsbane potion to werewolves. I'm not sure what they do about vampires. But as Zombies are already dead, and just animated corpses they just removed the spells that have brought them back from the grave."

"So they are kind of like zombie exterminators." Harry said.

"Yes, I just wish I knew more about them, their work must be terribly fascinating." It was then that The doors to the great hall opened and they were all ushered inside. It had been decorated once again in Slytherin greens and slivers. But there were also tall vases filled with the largest roses Harry had ever seen. Blooms as big as his head. and of the oddest, colors. He thought they must have been charmed, because never before had he seen green or sliver roses, yet they were there. Accompanied by the classic red and white, yet there were also black. The house tables were gone and replaced by other tables, some larger than others. Each reserved for a certain group of people. Harry Ron and Hermione with several other Gryffindors, made their way to a large table that said "The Gryffindors" upon it's center piece. The dozen "W.A.N.D." members were occupying the table next to their right, while "The Malfoy's" were on their left. "The Vampire Sisters" had a table next to "The Staff." And "The Slytherins" Were next to "The Potions Society." Which could only mean they were their for Snape. "The Ravencalws" and "The Hufflepuffs" had the last two tables and were by far the smallest groups.

It was then that Dumbledore stood up looking impressive in his long scarlet dress robes. With a large crack from his wand the hall fell silent and looked at him.

"I welcome you all to Hogwarts. This is indeed a spectacular moment for all of us. I also welcome all of our visitors to make yourselves at home, and wish you all to help me welcome our guests of honor. Severus Snape and Shaddi Ravencroft." He clapped his hands and the Great Hall door opened once again.

There on the thresh hold stood Shaddi and Severus. once again in their Black dress robes. The very same ones they had worn when they announced to the school that they would be married. The walked arm in arm toward the head of the hall where their own table. The wand members and stood and saluted Shaddi with their wands. Sending sparks toward the clear night sky of the ceiling they twisted into her name before exploding and sending snow flakes down toward the tables. For Severus the potions masters stood and with the shattering of glass before the walkers a red carpet stretched. Live snakes slithering along it's edges. Harry could hear them whispering in their language of S's "Congratulationssss." The rest who had not prepared such a welcome could only clap and cheer screaming their names. Once they reached their table they turned to the room. Then in unison the clapped their hands and said,

"Let the feast begin!" The sight that met the hall was one never to be forgotten. Every dish ever served at Hogwarts it seemed was on those tables. Every table sporting something different, which ensured that people would have to mingle. Harry had just noticed that three of the W.A.N.D. members seemed to be vampires and were now heading over to the twins table where only the finest animal blood could be found. A few of the P.S. (Potions Society) could be found trying to stir up a conversation with the ever snobbish Malfoy's. One of the W.A.N.D. had come over and while gathering food was talking with Hermione. Harry was distracted and tinny Professor Flitwick came by.

"Harry could you be a good boy and give me a hand I would rather like to sample the roasted goose on your table."

"Of course Professor." He took out his wand with a smile "Wingarduim Leviosa" and with a swish and flick his tiny professor was floating off the ground and high enough to see over the table.

"That wasn't exactly what I meant." He said with a chuckle as they people around him laughed.

"Having fun?" Shaddi said as she swept by their table her plate in hand. Harry could see Severus at the P.S. table behind her.

"Yes, actually." He said as he lowered the teacher to the floor and watched him hurry away trying not to be stepped on. It was then that a large man of the W.A.N.D. organization stepped up and gave Shaddi a hug.

"Shaddi m' girl! How are you?" He said with a deep husky voice, that reminded Harry of Hagrid.

"Very good, Victor, yourself?" She said with a smile.

"Couldn't be better, but I must say, things really have been lonelier since you left. And now your getting married. I just wish it could have been me." Shaddi rolled her eyes at his flirtatious remarks. Upon seeing Harry's questioning slightly shocked face she quickly explained to him in a whisper. "Before I came back here, at one point I was among W.A.N.D.'s ranks. During that time, He kept trying to get with me. But there are things about him that I just don't like, so I never let it happen." He nodded with a satisfied smile. And so the main coarse went on, meeting people, hearing fantastic stories and about potion mishaps, quests with vampires, to execute vampires. Tails of werewolf exploits and packs that ran across northern France.

When the deserts came there was a very large bang and an explosion of color and sound. The hall filled with smoke and pops from what seemed to be every Filibuster's firework that was ever made. Once the smoke cleared the occupants of the hall saw two ginger haired twins standing in the center of the room, bedecked in long golden dress robes, broad smiles on their faces.

"Oy!" Ron called pushing his way to the front of the crowd. "What are you two doing here?"

"Ron!" The Wesley twins said at once throwing their arms around him. Their very annoyed younger brother quickly threw them off.

"What _are_ you two doing here?" Harry asked coming to greet them as well. Most everyone else just looked one confused.

"Professor Dumbledore, hired us..." One said before the twin could chime in,

"to perform the fireworks display..."

"at the end of this wedding ceremony."

"Speaking of which where is our dear, old Pprofessor." nearly every person in the hall pointed to Severus who was tying to hide in a corner. With a laugh and a smile they seized him by the robes and drug him to the front of the room.

"Well, it's seems he can do more that take points off of Gryffindor." Fred said, (or maybe it was George)

"We'll don't you look nice?" The other said, with the air of one talking to a six year old in a suit.

"Now we wonder..."

"Where is the lovely bride?" Ron cleared his throat. As the twins looked at him, the trio pointed. As they set eyes on her they made their actions in unison. Running and hand threw their ginger hair they both moved over to her. As they reached her they each took a hand and kissed it with a bow."Lovely Lady," One said.

"It would be my pleasure to say, you look extravagant tonight."

"I'm Fred Weasly and this is my brother George."

"Wrong, I'm Fred."

"No."

"Yes." They as one they looked at her and said,

"Let's just say we change places so often we don't even know who we are."

"You two own that shop in Diagon Alley, right? _Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?_"

"Yes." They said at once,

"But how did you know?" The one claiming to be Fred asked.

"I stopped into your shop about a month ago. I might have looked something like this." With a wave of her have and a gasp from the twins she flashed her sixteen year old face for them before returning to her adult from.

"Ah." They said "Yes!" Then George,

"Yes, you were the one who came in and bought all the Shield Cloaks and Decoy Detonators, weren't you?" Shaddi nodded. Then they were interrupted when both twins heads were jerked violently too the left and down."Ow!"

"Come one you two before Professor Snape hexes you both into the floor." Hermione's bossy voice said over the laughter of the W.A.N.D. members. Wand pointed at the now whimpering twins.

"Hermione!" George whined.

"A perfect Prefect aren't you?" Fred said as they were dragged away from Shaddi,

"Well that is my job." she said stiffly.

"Come now have some desert, and find someone not engaged to flirt with." She said releasing the hold on them. With that said the deserts could continue. The Twins noticed the table for vampires yet failed to notice the "vampire" of it all and saw nothing more than two beautiful twin girls sitting there talking with those around them, and enjoying a few of Honey Dukes best blood pops. With twin grins the Weasleys made their way over to the table and soon the girls looked up at  
them.

"Hello." They said, the others at the table smiled obviously knowing that these too were a bit ignorant of the company which they now kept.

"Hello." The others said, their smiles lighting their faces. Shaddi laughed as she saw them, she wondered weather the twins had told them yet that they were vampire's. They did have a marvelous talent for hiding it when they wanted too.It was when the clock struck ten P.M. that Dumbledore announced that every one holding part in the ceremony should begin getting ready while everyone who were just there as guests were free to stay and enjoy the company.

Dumbledore himself left, along with the Weasley twins, who gave a regrettable good by to the still unknown vampires. A few women from W.A.N.D. left along with Hermione, Lucius, and to his families surprise Draco."Draco, where are you going?" His mother asked, while his Father looked sternly at him. "I'm in the ceremony, Professor Snape and Lady Ravencroft asked my to deliver the rings."  
He said making sure to address Shaddi formally while speaking with his parents. upon hearing this Narcissa's face broke into a large smile.

* * *

Two hours later everyone could be found outside in the late December air. Cloaks and hair unaffected by the winds, thanks to some sort of spell which Dumbledore had performed making the the space around the pleasant and warm. All waiting expectantly for the ceremony to start. Dumbledore was standing on a raised platform that stretched out over the black waters of the lake. Lucuis stood next to Severus while Hermione stood waiting for Shaddi to come down the aisle. The twins could be seen darting around the back of the stands checking and double checking their fireworks. It was only when Dumbledore gave them their cue did they send off the opening bang.The night sky was light up with a brilliant explosion of sliver sparks which formed two intertwined S's. Severus noticed they were the same S's which were imprinted upon his photo album of he and Shaddi. Collin Creevy was dancing around with his camera snapping pictures of everyone and everything. Once the crackling sparks died out, the music started. A slow haunting melody played by one of the W.A.N.D. members upon a huge pipe organ.

It was then Draco Malfoy came into view. a long black cape billowing around him, making a beautiful contrast with his platinum hair as he slowly marched toward the stage, a small sparkling sliver box resting in his thin hands. He stood next to his father the box still grasped in his hands. Next a bell somewhere struck and everyone stood. They faced the placed where Draco had come from and waited. Two women came forward wearing dresses to match Hermione's. Pitch black strapless gowns. Corseted tops and elegant flowing skirts which wafted upon the nonexistent breeze. Around their necks were black collars of the finest onyx stones. Fastened to the back of which there was an expanse of fine black chiffon which wafted behind them much like their skirts. Both women held a small bouquet of white roses within their hands.

Shaddi emerged next, and as she was brought into the light of the area the crowd gasped. She emerged a princess clad in flowing mercury. Her dress seemed to be liquid as it moved with her. The stunning halter which dipped to the very lowest point of her back, which could hardly be seen threw the sheet of platinum hair which had a bewitched sparkle to it. A form of make up sparkled around her eyes. and there it seemed her lips were a shade darker. Her hands were empty of flowers and swayed next to her sides. The crowed seemed not to notice that two more of the lovely women in black followed her.Severus felt his heart jump in his chest as he watched her moved down the aisle. Perfectly displaying the panther like grace that he knew so well. So beautiful, his sliver queen surrounded by her raven clad guards. Even the venomous color of her eyes seemed to have changed for this one occasion, drifted into a less dangerous and darker shade of purple.

As the procession reached the stage the four women in black joined Hermione and stood behind the place where Shaddi now was, linked arm in arm with Severus. Moonlight poured down upon the congregation making everything about the bride sparkle even more.Dumbledore Spoke in a clear voice so that everyone could hear him.

"It is but a short time that we walk this earth, within that time we do many things, both for the better and the worse. But within these things we do still more. We search, search for the person just for us, and even with all this searching it is rare that we find someone that we cherish so deeply that we are willing to share everything with them. Even an eternity. The two people who stand before us tonight, are many things to us, our friends, or family, or loved ones. Now these to people wish to, bring their souls together as one. To live and to love for the rest of time, even after their time on this earth has gone.

"Tonight before for every one of you, it will be my honor to unite these two as one. Draco if you please." Draco moved forward and knelt before Dumbledore the sliver box opened in his outstretched hands. Severus and Shaddi each picked up a ring. Draco snapped the box shut and stepped back. Severus and Shaddi slid the ring onto each other's hands. They interlaced the fingers of their right hands, Shaddi set her left hand on top of the others with Severus' on top of hers. Dumbledore Motioned and Lucuis and Hermione stepped forward facing one another. and Dumbledore spoke to them

"With the the permission and power that these two have given me." His eyes flickered to Shaddi and Severus "I will now bind these souls. Will you two stand as witness to this event, so none may slander it?"

"Yes." They said as one. Dumbledore nodded and turned his attention back to the honored ones.

"Severus Snape, you stand today upon the threshold of a new dawn. Life within the hand of another. Together to fight for all time. Do you accept the responsibility of protecting this woman, even should your life be taken in doing so?"

"I do." He said without hesitation. With a wave of Dumbledore's wand, two streams of sliver light seemed to come straight out of Severus' heart and wrap, one around their held hands and the other in a great loop around their bodies.

"Do you also pledge to love this woman as long as there connection between you and she bears your name, even in death."

"I do." A second set of lights these violet, came intertwining with the first.

"And do you vow that this woman shall, as long as she has breathe haunting her body, will be the only one you would love in such a way?"

"I do." A third set of lights these electric blue twisted around the others. Forming two beautiful braids of color and light around the two beings. Dumbledore now turned to Shaddi.

"Shaddi Ravencroft, You now stand before this man who has pledged to give his very life for yours. Do you also accept the  
responsibility of protecting this man, even at the risk of loss of limb and life?"

"I do." Icy blue strands were magically pulled from her own heart, like Severus' they two wrapped around their figures and hands."Even after you have both long died, do you pledge to love this man, with all of your every living heart and soul?"

"I do." Emerald strands joined the lighter blue."And do you vow to allow no one but this man to take a larger place in your heart, to remain honest to this man, until even after you both have passed on?"

"I do." Ribbons of the deepest black spilled from her heart. Braiding and interlinking with Severus' set. Once again Dumbledore turned his attention back to Hermione and Lucius."You to bear witness to these bonding vows, all of which are connected into the very souls of these two people. Do you still wish to bear witness to this bonding."

"Yes."

"Then come forward and place your hands upon theirs." They entered the circle of light Hermione and Lucius layering  
their hands upon Shaddi and Severus'. The bands of light expanded snaking around their hands too. Next Dumbledore entered the circle of light his wand in hand.

"I hereby invoke my strength into these vows, placing my trust in these people and their intentions, in their love." He placed his left hand on top of the others.

"On this day may good fortune be spread to all those here, through the love of this bond." He pointed his wand into the air and the light whipped unto it. Forming a large golden ball of blinding light. It flew high into the air and exploded, tiny stars fell from the sky and as they landed upon everyone, a great joy filled the people there. No person would be left unhappy for this one night.

"I now pronounce you two man and wife. You may kiss your bride." Everyone's hand left the space between the two.Severus gathered Shaddi into his arms as their lips met. They could hear the clapping and cheering. Then the boom and the fireworks. "I give you Master and Lady Snape!" Dumbledore said as they turned to the crowd who were all on there feet and clapping. Everyone watched as Fred and George put on a magnificent display of fireworks. the finally of which had a dazzling display of the newlywed's kiss, with the sparkling words "Severus and Shaddi forever!" floating above.

After the fireworks were done everyone headed back to the great hall where the reception would take place. Everyone danced, Dumbledore managed to get a dance with the bride, and had managed to do it before Victor who seemed very anxious to do the same. Both sets of twins could be seen dancing rather closely. The red haired boys looked a bit pail, and had probably finally been told that the lovely ladies that they had been flirting with all night were vampires, however it didn't seem to bother them too much.

Hermione was taken onto the floor by Ron, and Ginny was whisked off by a trembling Neville.

Draco and Harry were left at their tables quite alone watching the others dance.

"Excuse me." Harry looked up, one of the W.A.N.D. vampires which had followed Shaddi in her procession was standing before him, still in that beautiful black dress. He saw now that she couldn't be much older than he was, at least not in appearance, he couldn't even guess her age.

"Would you like to dance?" He considered it for a moment then accepted. He was amazed by the way she moved as they spun slowly around the floor, she seemed to glide about. As he looked about he saw Shaddi smile at him from over Severus' shoulder. The Mafloy's looking happier then he had ever seen them. And poor Draco swept out by another vampire. At least, Harry thought, he had the option of declining a dance. Draco, being a Malfoy was expected to oblige to anyone that asked him. Harry assumed this excluded those of Muggle birth, such as Hermione. All in all Harry thought, many hours later, as he made his way back to Gryffindor  
Tower with the rest, it wasn't a bad night, and the effects of the stranger golden stars still had not worn off and he went to sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

**An://** Well I couldn't help it. I will admit it. _Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince,_ was a major inspiration for this chapter. Especially the wedding. I just liked _Spinner's End_ so much I had to incorporate the unbreakable vow with out actually saying that's what it was. Oops, well I ruined that didn't I? I also had to bring in the Wesley twins, who doesn't love them? I also had to look at their shop, when I reread that part and remembered their selling defense stuff I put it in there for the heck of it. I also had to put in a bit more about Shaddi's past. Just for fun. I don't what possessed my to create W.A.N.D. But it happened. If any one is interested I was thinking about making a story all about when Shaddi was a real student at Hogwarts and connecting it with this one. You know telling her whole story. I didn't mean it to happen but I've really fallen in love with this character. And I feel everyone might understand her a bit better if they knew what REALLY happened in her past.Well let me know about that, just drop a review.

Until we meet again,

-B.A.J.C.


	23. Songs of a Traitor

**Chapter Twenty-three: Songs of the Traitor**

Severus woke the next morning to find Shaddi in his arms. Every inch of him ached with pleasure from the night before. He smiled as he looked upon the face of his wife. Sleeping soundly against his chest. Arms wrapped tightly around him. He pulled a few strands of hair away from her face and her eyes fluttered open. Those brilliant violet orbs that now held a piece of his very soul. For a long time they looked at each other.

"Good morning love."She said kissing him.

"Morning." He said unable to stop smiling, it seemed he was just too damn happy.

"It's Christmas, and I almost don't want to open presents."

"Why?" He asked slightly surprised, in their school days Shaddi had always been one who loved Christmas, getting and giving presents, she always did give great gifts.

"Because, I've already got everything I'll ever need. Right here." She tightened her hold on him. He smiled,

"Well as much as I would love it, we can't stay here forever."

"Yes, people will be expecting us at breakfast won't they?" He nodded With that they got up and each had a quick shower. Before settling down in the sitting room for presents. It seemed those who said they would send gifts had not lied. There were two large piles of packages around the fireplace. By the end of all the packages, Shaddi had a large supply of sweets from Honey Dukes. Several new books on various subjects from Qudditch to the dark arts. A beater's club engraved with the name "Shaddi Snape". An ancient sliver dagger that was said to have been used by the well known vampire and werewolf hunter, Ernest Kingriffin. And what appeared to be a large supply for just about everything from Weasely's' Wizard Wheezes, courtesy of Fred and George.

Severus had received his usual rare potions ingredients, some candy of his own. And a set of very brightly colored robes, which he told Shaddi that he got every year from a different member of the staff, in an attempt to get him in to something that didn't make him look like a vulture. Shaddi could see the reasoning behind them, but did anyone  
honestly think that Severus Snape world ever be caught even dead in baby yellow. Once all the wrapping paper was cleaned up and new  
items stored away, they picked themselves up off the floor. It was then that something out of the ordinary caught Severus' eye. Sitting upon the mantel was a small envelope resting innocently upon the marble. He picked it up and found it to be very weighty and thick. _Shaddi Ravencroft, Snape,_was written across the front in a very neat and tiny hand writing which Severus had never seen before. Curious Severus turned over the the envelope and saw it bore a very similar crest.

A long double edged sword with two wands crisscrossing it at the hilt.  
Some kind of bird sitting atop the pummel of the sword and below upon the blade of the sword was a large letter 'R'.

"What have you got there?"Shaddi said looking at him with concern. Upon seeing the crest his face had gone unnaturally pail, his eyes were wide and his hands had started to shake.

"Severus, what is it?" She came closer. He handed her the envelope. She looked at her own name before seeing the crest on the other side. For one second she looked as if she had returned to her vampiric state. Her face paler than his. She took a calming breath and went to open the letter.

"Wait, before you do. Tell me, is that what I think it is?" He said looking at the crest.

"The Ravencroft family crest. One which can only be made with the wand of a Ravencroft, yes." She opened the envelope and removed the parchment inside.

_Shaddi,_

__

Aria and I couldn't be more happy for you. I know Severus will be good for you, he's already given you the will to do so much. I apologies for not sending you our gift, however we wish to present it to you in person. Aria and I will come to the castle in three days time to present you with your Christmas/wedding gift. I know if makes us sound cheap, one gift for two occasions however I don't think you would want anything else. I'll keep you in the dark for now.

Love  
Always  
~ Alexandria & Aria Nyisa

_P.S. Did I do a good job, on the crest?  
It took me many long hours of research. I know that only a Ravencroft should be able to make it, but then your blood is present in my and  
Aria's body is it not?_

Shaddi let out a sigh, but it was not one of relief it was almost sad. But what had she been thinking, her family had been gone for years. After all that was the reason why no one ever searched for her after she disappeared.

"Are you all right? His voice seemed far away. She blinked and looked up at him.

"Yes, just thinking."

"So what was it?"

"Alexandria, she says she's bringing a gift here in three days time."

"Oh, but the seal? I don't understand." Not something he ever admitted lightly.

"Well she did say, that she has my blood in her veins, after all, I did feed her and her sister for a matter of time didn't I? I suppose she just figured out how to do it and decided to show off a bit." It was then that she realized that there was something else in the envelope. She pulled out two sliver strands of tiny links. Very strong little chains. Upon them dangled three sliver rings. One which bore Severus' name, once which bore Shaddi's newly acquired name, and one which made Shaddi raise a eyebrow at. Shaddi's ring and  
the other ring were on the same chain.

"Something wrong?" Severus asked as she dangled the chain before her face.

"No." She said absent-mindedly. "Here this is yours, from the twins." He took the chain and looked over the ring.

"This is nice, but didn't you just say, they were bringing their gift  
later.?"

"That's what she said. Perhaps these are in addition to whatever their bringing. "She said sliding her own set of rings into her pocket. Severus shrugged thinking about how strange the twins really were.

* * *

Later in the day a sixteen-year-old Shaddi could be found on the fourth floor sitting on a window sill and gazing blankly out over the dark waters of the lake. The sliver chain dangling from her fingers. She sighed and turned her gaze back to the ring in her hands. The good fortune and happiness spell Dumbledore cast the night before had not  
yet worn off so she couldn't truly be sad. However it didn't stop the nagging sensation that was now gnawing at her heart. Such a  
strange sensation and all over such little rings.

The first one bore her name as it was now known, _Shaddi Snape_. It was a beautiful band which matched the one Severus now had. It was the second ring which was her trouble.

It was a large ring which had been made to be worn about the neck on a chain. It had the Gryffindor lion upon it and on a very small flat plaque were the engraved initials. _K.R._

Yes indeed her thoughts were now of this little ring and how the  
twins might have gotten it. With another quiet sigh Shaddi fastened the chain around her neck and tucked it beneath her robes. She leaned back against the wall and allowed herself to drift into a sort of half-sleep, into her memories.

It was some time later that Draco happened upon the dreaming woman. He smiled as he saw her, totally oblivious to his presence. Violet eyes half closed, slender face turned toward the window, leaning so casually against the cool stone that she hardly looked real.

"Shaddi." He said softly moving closer to her. She blinked upon hearing his voice, gracefully turning her head to face him.

"Hello Draco." She said in the most toneless of voices.

"Are you all right?" He asked leaning on the wall opposite her end of the windowsill.

"Just thinking, I suppose." She was looking at him, but it seemed she wasn't really seeing him.

"Well think of more pleasant things, for it's Christmas and the day after your wedding, there should be no reason for you to have such a distressed look." His smile had something hidden about it. As if he knew something Shaddi didn't. A smile that reminded her exactly who's son he was. She could remember many an occasion when Lucius Malfoy had worn the same look in her presence.

"What?" She asked, he smiled still.

"Just trust me before long you'll be very, very, happy." He moved closer and put his finger tips under her chin so she had no choice but to look up into his eyes. There seemed to be a kind of flame there. A kind of mischievous spark which one rarely saw in the eyes of a Malfoy, unless trouble was brewing.

"What are you up to, Draco?"

"Nothing." He said innocently still not letting her look away.

"Why don't I believe that?"

"Because my Lady," He leaned down so his lips were right next to her ear. "you've trained yourself to believe no one." His voice was no more than a whisper, "But this time you can trust me," His hand found her shoulder and his thumb was making small circles just above her left  
collar bone. "this time I'm only a messenger."

"Messenger of what?" She asked her eyes flickering to either end of the corridor, hoping no one would walk in on this.

"Something you would be interested in having, have you heard from the twins lately?" He stepped back, a winning, all knowing smile plastered on his face.

"What do you know?"

"Something."

"What do you want in exchange for the information?" She said knowing he wanted something and that for a price anything on the face of the planet could be bought or bargained for.

"Come with me." He began down the corridor.

"Tell me one thing first." He looked at her. "Is it going to compromise my marriage?"

"That does depend on you." Then he left, giving Shaddi the choice to follow him or not. She did, running to catch up with the other.

"What is that suppose to mean exactly?"

"I'm not telling you anything else." He said with another smile. They moved out onto the grounds and toward the forest. When they reached the tree line Draco stopped.

"What?" Shaddi asked noticing him watching her.

"If you meet me here at ten tonight I'll show you what it is you want to  
know."

"And what is it your going to ask in return?"

"You'll find out if you show up, alone." With that he left, heading toward the castle from where they had just come. She let him go, looking out over the lake she pulled the chain from beneath her  
robes and began to mess with the rings. Rolling them between her fingers and listening to them as they made their little clinking sounds. She looked over her shoulder and into the forest, she had the strangest feeling she was being watched.

She couldn't shake the feeling even as she went back up toward the castle, she sat with Severus for lunch and then lost herself in the books she had received for Christmas. She was very surprised when Severus put a hand on her shoulder and told her it was dinner time. Half way threw the main course he asked her if she was all right, stating that she hadn't quite been right all day. And after all it was Christmas and the feast was one of Hogwarts best. She just shrugged and sent all his worries away with a smile. After dinner Shaddi told Severus she wanted to go to the library to do some work that way she wouldn't fall behind, and could be a bit ahead when the term started again.

* * *

So when ten o'clock rolled around she left her things in the library and headed out toward the edge of the forest. When she reached the spot where Draco had left her that after noon she thought he had stood her up, for he was no where to be seen. As she turned to leave a hand reached out and grabbed the back of her robes and pulled her into the shadow of the trees. A hand covered her mouth with enough force to bruise the skin.

"Shh it's me." Draco hissed in her ear. "I couldn't risk someone seeing who you were meeting, this way someone might just think you went to the vampires." He let her go and she turned to him.

"All right enough of this, now what is it you have to tell me?" She said tasting a bit of blood in her mouth from where her fangs had broken open her skin.

"Follow me." Draco took her hand and led her through the trees. Perhaps ten minutes had passed before he stopped.

"Draco, there isn't anything here." She said, they weren't even in a clearing, but rather just standing around by some trees, just like at any other random point in the forest.

"Not yet." He took out his wand and whispered an incantation. A door formed between two trees that were closer together than a few of the others. He opened the door and bowed her in. She moved in slowly, it was very dark in the space and she could hear water from somewhere but couldn't see it.

"Draco, where are we?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Well why are we here?"

"For that." He pointed off into the distance. A tiny light shinned and flickered almost like a camp fire. He led her off toward the light. Once they reached the fire, Shaddi found it had been magically contained so as not to spread to the surrounding grass, in the small clearing. There was a modest looking black tent not far from the fire and no one seemed to be around.

"What is this?" She said not liking the thoughts which were coming to her mind. She felt him put a hand on each of her shoulders from behind her. He leaned closer and whispered.

"How your going to pay for your information." His warm breath on her neck made shivers run down her spine. "You see, I know that the twins actually had two presents for you. But I talked them into letting me tell you about one. However, I always have a price."

"And that price would be?" He stepped around in front of her. Looking down into her eyes taking her hands in his. Never leaving her eyes, he began to lead her toward the tent. As he pulled back the canvas the smell of fresh roses greeted her. There seemed of be two rooms. A small room for sleeping and a bathroom. Shaddi assumed this was something Draco had bought himself without his father knowing.  
The bed was all satin and looked very comfortable. "I thought you said this wouldn't have to compromise my marriage?"

" It doesn't, if you don't want my information. However I can tell you if you don't get it from me now, you'll have to wait. Because the twins aren't bringing this when they come. And it's not some petty possession, It's a person you believed dead. Of course there are many of those, from what I saw in the visions I got when I fed you. However I know exactly who it is. And if you don't find out who it is now you'll  
have to wait for some months." Shaddi smiled, she found a problem with that.

"If they already have this person then why aren't they bringing them in three days when they come?" Draco smiled and drew her into his arms rubbing circles on her back and caressing her hips.

"Because, this person is ill at the moment, and cannot travel the distance."

"How do I know your not lying, that your just not trying to get what you want from me?"

"Because your vampires gave me their blood, just enough to mix with my own and prove to you that it is true. And if I'm lying to you, I do not doubt you would do serious injury to my body for that. It isn't worth the risk. I can't lie to you, not this time."

"Why would they let you do this?" She said shortly not really addressing him, he answered anyway.

"They don't know, I thought up all of this after I left them." He nibbled a bit at her neck. "So what do you say? Be with me for one night, let me have you. Or wait until until they can journey, and let it eat at you." He kissed her throat tilting her head back with one of his hands. She gasped as he sunk his teeth hard into her flesh, something in her loved that, despite who it was coming from. "Well?" He nibbled up toward  
her mouth. "What do you say?" He kissed her tasting the blood that still lingered on her tongue. She felt stiff but defeated, if there was even the slightest chance that what she had thought was true then she couldn't wait that long. She returned his kiss running her hand into his hair and wrapping the other about his waist. He hummed in a satisfied kind of way and turned her toward the bed. She let him guide her down on to it's soft cool silky coverings. Kissing her neck as he went. She purred as he scraped his teeth along her flesh.

He worked at the fastenings of her clothes soon discarding her cloak and robes, leaving just her button up and slacks. He kissed her again and brought her hands up to the collar of his shirt. Taking the hint she slowly undid each button while making sure he didn't become distracted by her kiss. She slid the shirt off his shoulders and tossed it off the bed. She ran her hands along the taut muscles of his upper arms, before scratching along his sides. He gasped as she dug her claws into his shoulders.

"If you want me, you get my claws and fangs as well." She growled in his ear.

"Whatever works." He said as he started at her buttons. Soon he was running his cool hands up her flat stomach and up toward her bra. Soon that was gone too. He busied himself with the unimpeded flesh of her upper body. She moaned and arched her back a little as he ran his tongue along her chest. She grabbed him and drew him up to her lips kissing him forcefully. He moaned as she dug her nails into him again.  
He began to tear at the buttons of her pants, trying desperately to get them off. He soon achieved his goal, sliding the material down her firm thighs and calves, then throwing it off the bed. All of one single thing separated his hands from her. She sat up,grabbing his shoulders and rolling him onto his back then she gazed into his eyes, hands resting on his hips. As they kissed she slowly peeled away his jeans. She could feel his enlarged member pressed against one of her legs as he kissed her. He put himself back onto of her and ground his body against hers, his fingers dancing along her hot skin. His hands crept down her waistband and he felt the sting of her nails as she drug her fingers  
across his back. His fingers probing her delicately. With his free hand he discarded her last piece of clothing followed by his.

"Shaddi your so beautiful." He whispered to her, as he spread her legs a bit for himself. She smiled up at him.

"Just shut up." She kissed him again to stop him from protesting. He broke away and slid into her. She shuddered under him as he began to find his rhythm.

* * *

Hours later Shaddi slipped quietly into the study of her and Severus' chambers. She sunk into her favorite chair and tried not to sob with  
her face in her hands. The vision Draco showed her had indeed been worth the betrayal she had committed, and it was the vision which now threatened to take it's toll now. The person which Draco had spoken of was now an elderly man, nearly dead. But when she had known him he had been a strong wizard loved by many. A learned man, who always did his best to bring his family the best he could. His name was Robert Ravencroft, Shaddi's father, who she had, until this night, believed dead.

Which meant she was most likely right on her thoughts as to who the  
ring belonged to. Her father looked as if death were stalking him just waiting for the moment when he could bring down his scythe and rip  
the life from the man's poor frail body. Draco had been right Robert was in fact too sick to make the journey here in the cold.

"Shaddi." Her head snapped up, Severus was standing before her still fully dressed, Shaddi would have sworn he was asleep by now.

"Severus."

"Is something wrong?" It was then she registered the damp  
nature of her face, particularly around her eyes where her tears had threatened to fall.

"No, No I'm fine." She couldn't look at him.

You're a lire." It was a smooth voice which held no accusation. "You've been acting strange all day, what is it?" He moved closer to her taking her hand in his.

"Just thinking too much about too many sad things." It was true, everything that now was in her mind made her sad, mostly her betrayal to Severus, she did hope he wouldn't go into her mind. That he would respect her wishes not to tell him, but she also knew that she could keep him out if she really wanted to. Walling up your mind was always something you learned how to do around vampires. He pulled her to her feet and held her tight.

"Well don't." She leaned her head on his shoulder and relaxed into his grip. Her body gave no sign anywhere that she had been unfaithful to  
him, she made sure to hide every accusing mark. Severus had always been good at noticing if something new popped up. She wasn't really worried about it, yet.

"Come, you should get some sleep, it's been a long day. For us both."

"But It couldn't have been better." She said plastering a smile in place.

"And what made it so good?" His voice gave a hint of suspicion. Shaddi's brain did double time, might she have slipped?

"It was my first day married to you." The second seemed like and age. A kind look appeared on Severus' face. He kissed her then steered  
her off toward the bed room.

"Come, time for bed." As they climbed under the sheets Shaddi could not mask the stabbing guilt which shredded her heart. When Severus put an arm around her she felt the muscles convulse with tension before relaxing. Had he seen or felt something, her guilt perhaps. Had he caught the sent of fear and deception? Could he know that, she now soiled the bed in which they lay, with her adulterous deed. Could he know that even after she felt his breathing slow and knew he entered sleep, that she lay awake for many more hours hating herself and hating his touch.


	24. Shadow of Despair

**Chapter Twenty-four: Shadow of Despair, and the lightness fire of Hell.**

When Shaddi woke next it was to find Severus gone, still early in the  
morning it was, and he was no where in the chambers. Deciding that he could be doing no worse than she had, she got up. The clock read four AM. Resisting the urge to scream she grabbed her cloak and headed toward the entrance hall. She swept up the grand staircase and kept climbing until she reached the portrait that hid Gryffindor tower. As she gave the password and swept in she found the surroundings relaxing and painful all at the same time. She sank into a chair, and pointed her wand at the fire grate. The dying embers spring to life with dancing flames. She sighed heavily and leaned her head back against the material.

"Shaddi?" She looked around, standing at the bottom of the staircase was Harry, his hair tousled and pajama shirt open.

"Hi Harry." She said in a tired way. The tiresome voice wasn't wasted on him.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, moving forward and sitting in the chair next to her.

"No more than usual." The lie was smooth and without flaw. She looked away from him and into the fire. It was just perfect, she felt like crap and now Harry was here and that could only make it worse. Harry continued to stare at her, his eyes narrow and suspicious.

"What's happened? I didn't think I'd ever see you in the common room again, so why are you here? Hold on, he didn't... Snape didn't hurt you or anything did he?" He voice held a bite of anger to it.

"No." She said, slightly surprised by his tone. "no, it's nothing like that, it's just..."

"Just, what?"

"I just wanted some time away from the dungeons." She said sharply. Harry looked slightly frightened by her edged reply. She sighed heavily and looked away from him. "I'm sorry Harry, things have just been stressful lately. What with the wedding and school, but I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." He nodded, they fell quite again.

"Harry, what the hell... Oh Shaddi, what are you doing here?" Ron said, looking groggy from the stair case.

"Sitting." She said, he rolled his eyes and came in, throwing himself onto a couch. Conversation after that was easy and light hearted before all three of them fell asleep in front of the fire.

When Shaddi woke she wasn't alone, a few other Gryffindors were in the  
common room but no one bothered her, still thinking she was asleep, their talk was hushed as if someone had told them to be quite. When she stirred she found Hermione looking at her curiously from the chair next to hers.

"I told them that I'd throw them out of the common room if they woke you."

"Thanks, I needed the sleep." She sat up and brushed the hair from her face. Harry and Ron were both gone. "Where are Harry and Ron?"

"In the Great Hall, it's breakfast time."

"Oh, OK." Shaddi didn't really feel like eating, going down there meant seeing Draco and even worse meant seeing Severus, she didn't think she could stand to see either of them.

"Are you OK?" Shaddi looked at her.

"I don't know any more." Her voice was hollow and haunted, as if she were dying.

"Shaddi, what's going on, what's got you so scared, Harry said he found you here early this morning, I just don't understand what made you come here, out of the safety of your own bed?" Damn she was good. Was it because she was a woman or because she was a teenager that knew what other teenagers do, even if they are married?

"Hermione, it's nothing. Trust me, the dungeons are just depressing, and this is a comforting place. It's warm and comfortable." She smiled trying to sell. Hermione nodded seeming to swallow the bait whole. "Well, I think I'm going to head off to breakfast." She said getting up, Hermione let her leave unquestioned.

In the days before the twins arrival Shaddi could be found avoiding Draco at every moment possible, for the most part she locked herself in the dungeon study and got an early start on her work, hoping to be finished soon. Severus was always a happy distraction but still a distraction. She even snapped at him late one evening, he had been out in the corridors wandering around in the dark. He put his arms around her shoulders as he came in.

"Why don't you come to bed?"

"Why don't you tell me where you were just now, at two in the morning." Her voice held a bit of accusation

"I was checking the corridors. As I usually do, must make sure that these little brats are in their beds, mustn't I?"

"Please Severus, spare me the lies." Her voice became a poisonous thing, he let go of her startled. "Don't think I don't know what people do sneaking around a two in the morning." She stood facing him like a armed gunman. "So tell me where were you?"

"Shaddi, I will ask you only once. What are you going on about?"

"Don't talk to me like you don't know." She smirked and moved around her desk running her fingers along the edge of it. Caressing it like a blade. "So tell me is she pretty?"

"Shaddi?" He moved closer, a darkness to his presence.

"Are her eyes green the way Lilly's were?" He stopped before leaning against the edge of the desk.

"Look, I don't know what your going on about. But don't for a moment ever assume that I would cheat on you, I live for you and you alone." He ran his fingers along her jaw. Shaddi collapsed onto the floor sobbing into her hands. Severus knelt down and held her, too taken to bother asking her why she was crying. He carried her to bed where she cried herself to sleep in his arms.

The next morning neither of them mentioned the night before, they just let it lay forgotten. Of course that was easy when Severus remembered that tonight the twins would arrive.

"Your vampires should arrive tonight." He called at her as he leaned on the wall next to bathroom door.

"Yeah, don't think I'm not looking forward to seeing them." She called back at him.

"So I know they saved your life and everything, but tell me why is it whenever their around your always so, I don't know..."

"Sneaky." She said coming out of the bathroom and heading toward the living room.

"No." He reached out and grabbed her arm, taking a step out then pushing her against the wall and whispered in her ear. "I was going more for, Sexy." She smiled and gave a little giggle.

"You are so evil."

"I know." He left her there lingering on the edge of a kiss. She heard front door close as he headed up toward breakfast.

"Damn him." She whispered with a smile, before darting out toward the corridors. As she locked the door behind her she felt someone move up behind her. She tightened her grip on her wand. It wasn't Severus, his presence was different, but she thought she had a pretty good idea of who it was.

"Good morning Shaddi." The board drawling whisper came very close to her ear.

"Draco." She was quick in her answer, his breath on her neck was unnerving. She turned making him take a step back. He smiled at her gentlemanly as ever. Of course they were still in public.

"I wonder if I might have a word with you?"

"If it's a word you want, I'll give you better." She smiled with her voice silky and smooth, His eyes lit up a bit. "I want you to stay away from me, because the next time you come near me, I hurt you, end of story. Do you understand me, Malfoy?: His face did not change, his usual Malfoy smirk was held in firm place.

"Yes Shaddi, whatever you say" Then he grabbed her and drew her into a forceful kiss. Caught off guard it took her a moment to find herself, when she realized what was happening she shoved him off and put her wand in his face.

"Not a good idea." She threw him against the wall and left him dangling there. She found his wand and put it in a vase across the hall. "Good bye Draco." She turned to leave, and he, of course, called after her.

"It's not over you know, you'll come back to me. You loved what happened between us. And you want it to be like that again. Trust me Shaddi we are not through at all." His voice was lost as she entered the entrance hall. Moving into the Great Hall she felt good, and now she could effectively forget everything. Severus didn't know and since no harm had come from her and Malfoy, and he never would have to. She took her seat next to him and started a good breakfast, it wasn't until Filch came running into Dumbledore saying that a Slytherin student was pinned to the wall, and he couldn't get him down.

"Mr. Filch might I ask who this student is?" The Headmaster said in a low voice, all the staff and Shaddi had gathered around him.

"Malfoy." A quick glance at Severus showed something of humor, and something of anger. One of his students was stuck on a wall! Shaddi  
would have been concerned had it not been for the crowd of Slytherins that came in after she did, one of them must have been the one who spoke to Filch, or maybe they just laughed at him and Filch found him on his own, she didn't know or care. The fact is Draco wouldn't rat her out. He had been caught once with attempts on her, so everything was on her side.

"Well let us go see what this is about." So the teachers left blocking the dungeon entrance as they went. Sure enough Draco Malfoy was still there hanging on the wall where Shaddi had left him. He did not move as they came forward. He just hung there, his head bowed and eyes closed as if he slept.

"Mr. Malfoy, Draco." Dumbledore said stepping forward, Draco raised his head turning his gray eyes toward the old wizard. "Are you all right? Did who ever did this to you hurt you in any physical way."

"No sir." His voice was small. Strong but small.

"Well I do wonder, do you know how it is that you are bonded to this wall?"

"No, sir."

"Filius, perhaps you would assist me." The tiny wizard stepped forward, Shaddi withheld her smirk knowing the two of them brilliant as they were would not likely figure out how she put Malfoy on that wall. For ten minutes the two wizards tried and tried yet still they failed. Other teachers too tried yet also they failed, finally Severus stepped forward and after carefully checking the seems between him and the wall, he stepped back a slight laughter tempted his voice, if  
anything a cruel smile was working his lips.

"What's so funny Severus?" Shaddi asked, knowing he had discovered her little trick.

"This is old magic, long ago this was considered to be a dark art, to be able to control one so fully, it is a very effective curse, and in fact no counter curse was ever discovered to it. However with the proper potion I should be able to pry Mr. Malfoy from here. Shaddi please, from our study, I believe you could already tell me which vial I need." She nodded and moved off not far down the corridor disappearing into the chambers returning within moments a vial full of a black liquid that looked to be lit with fire. She handed the vial to her husband and went to stand beneath Malfoy. Raising the uncorked vial above the trapped boy's head. The shimmering black liquid fell over him. It seemed to grow and spread over his entire body wrapping him in a shimmering black shroud of liquid.

Everyone but Shaddi stepped back as Malfoy gave a great yelp and his body convulsed then came loose. He fell forward and into Shaddi's arms. Easily supporting his weight, she put him on his feet, the blackness pouring off of both of them onto the stone floor clear as water. Draco seemed dizzy and swayed dangerously, Shaddi did not let his shoulders go. When he finally could stand on his own and she released him, he looked at her.

"Thank you." He said before throwing himself at her drawing her up into a second kiss. Her body refused to obey her as she screamed at herself to throw him off and put him one the wall again. Yet no, she was pulling herself into him, she heard the others gasp as the teens kissed before them all.

"Shaddi!" Severus screamed He grabbed her shoulder very hard. That did it. Her eyes fired open and she looked up at him, her violet eyes spilling over with tears. Her knees gave out beneath her and she melted  
onto the floor sobbing into her hands. She heard over her racking sobs Malfoy's steps as he back away from the group. Severus knelt down next to her. Taking her chin in his hand and turning her face to his, his black eyes were dark with hurt. Her lips trembled, was it with fear? There was a wetness there. From the kiss? He traced it with his fingers. A smile sneaking onto his face.

"Malfoy, you blundering idiot." He said softly, "You should have known even had you made this thing correctly, she would have fought it." He turned away from her now. Looking into Malfoy's face. "You couldn't even create a proper lust potion. No, you found a way to screw it up, and make a poison. You might not feel it yet but you will, for you gave it to her threw a kiss, so this be as connected to you as it is to her." He brought her to her feet, hugging her to his chest. She threatened to collapse again.

"What's happening?" She said, voice no more than a whisper.

"It's all right. It's just a little error in Mr. Malfoy's calculations." He looked at the now shivering teen. "Come I must get both of you treated."

"Why bother, as soon as she can she'll kill me."Malfoy said looking at Shaddi.

"Exactly, I can't deny her of that now can I?" He started off toward his classroom Malfoy ran over to the vase and grabbed his wand. "Mr. Malfoy." Severus called.

"Coming sir." He said before darting off toward them.

Inside the classroom Shaddi's shaking had gotten worse. She sat on one of the tables, unable to stop the trembling that had over taken her. Her skin was white and sticky with sweat, Draco looked at her with a deep set fear, this wasn't what he had intended to do. But he didn't have time to pity her. He was beginning to feel sick. His knees were weak and he felt dizzy and was also shaking.

"So what exactly did I do wrong?" He asked after slowly putting himself in a chair so he wouldn't fall.

"I'm not sure yet. I have a feeling you didn't put in enough powdered dove heart."

"I didn't put enough in." The potions master looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "I didn't put any in." Severus' eyes went closed, and Shaddi gasped.

"You didn't do what." She whispered, her throat tight. She looked ready to kill.

"What does that mean?" He asked, unable to look away from her.

"It means the only way to undo this is to..." He paused for a moment. "is to over load you to on lust."

"What!" Shaddi screamed, "Your going to do what?"

"It's that or your both horribly ill when your vampires arrive." He sounded bitter. Shaddi looked defeated but Draco looked hopeful.

"So what does that mean exactly?" He asked wondering if it meant what he thought it meant.

"Severus, can I talk to you, alone." She grabbed the front of his robes and with whatever shaky strength she had, and took him across the room as far from Malfoy as possible.

"Tell me, your not going to leave me alone with him, please just tell me that's not what you mean to do."

"What else would you have me do? Leave you like this?"

"How long would it take to wear off exactly?"

"Too long."

"But, wouldn't you be uncomfortable with, this whole idea?" She sounded desperate.

"Why are you fighting this so much?"

"Because this is exactly what he wanted, and I don't like being forced into anything. And you still didn't answer my question." He sighed.

"Of course I'm not comfortable with this, but there isn't much of another option. Not if you want to see your brother tonight." She gasped.

"How did you know?"

"My dear, you tell me a lot of thing when you cry in your sleep. And I must confess, I had a little look." He looked almost angry now, as if she had told him something that displeased him. Did he know? She made no more argument even as he told her to drink a most sweet smelling potion. Then he left, both teens heard the lock click, and knew they weren't getting out of here.

When Severus next entered the room it was to find Draco lying on the floor unconscious and Shaddi curled into a corner sobbing. Her mental Shields were down and her memories hit him, making it impossible not to use his abilities. What he saw didn't help his suspicions, if anything it confirmed them.

I_n a haze of pleasure, there was someone leaning over him, no, over her he was seeing this as if her were her, the teenage form of a white blonde. The vision of steel eyes starring into theirs, and finally Draco Malfoy sitting next to a campfire a knife in his hands. He drew the knife across his wrist and blood flowed from the wound. they moved toward the boy's arm, locking their mouth over it and drawing the blood. Then he saw another face, one Severus had not seen in many years. It was the aged but still seemingly strong built face of Robert_ _Ravencroft. His once black hair now,entirely grey, and his eyes no longer sparkeling with quiet intimadation, only with tired age and illness. _

Severus pulled out. Anger coursed through him. So he had been right, Shaddi had slept with Draco, but it seemed there had been a price. The information on her father. He swept over to the disheveled witch in  
the corner and laid a hand on her shoulder. Another thought assulted him. H_e was a handsome boy with, dark hair and eyes, an effeminate looking face with a long lean body. Kai Ravencroft age 15,a perfect memory of him just before he had disappeared and, nearly a year before Shaddi was kidnapped._ Violet eyes darted up to him, focusing on him for a moment before she jumped up and grabbed him, pulling him into a hug, shaking him from her memories.

"Severus, I can't believe he did that, it was just cruel. But I guess I shouldn't have expected more of him Should I?"

"From what I understand that wasn't the first time you two have been together. I'm not sure I see why your so upset." His voice was blank, he wouldn't comfort her not right now. His arms hung at his sides and his  
eyes were straight forward until she looked at him. He met her eyes and saw the pure shock and horror there. She couldn't hide anymore.

"Severus, I... I..." He held up his hand, closing his eyes.

"Don't, Shaddi please, I'm not sure I want to know why you would do this, I'm not sure that anything you can say is going to help you. Right now I just want you to go get ready for when the twins arrive. It'll be  
dark in about a hour and no doubt you'll have to feed your vampires tonight. We'll talk about this later."

"Severus..." She looked like she might sob again.

"Don't, not now."

"But..."

"Get out, just go before I lose my temper with you." She left, hurrying to the chambers she called home.

They didn't see much of each other as the rest of the day went on. As usual they met in the Great Hall for dinner, and of course neither spoke a word. Draco looked a mess at the Slytherin table, There were bags under his eyes and he had to where a high collar shirt due to the amounts of bites Shaddi had given him, which had refused to heal, and there wasn't any way Draco was going to the hospital wing. The main course went without any event, around desert Shaddi started to get anxious hoping the twins would soon make an appearance. Yet they didn't. It wasn't until Severus and Shaddi were heading to their chambers hoping to discuss what needed to be addressed that they saw them.

Both standing outside their door leaning casually against the wall, heads down hair falling in curtains over their faces. They looked up as the mortals stopped. Both smiled in that beautiful way only vampires can. Then they came forward, Shaddi stepping up to meet them in a hug.

"Severus good to see you." Alexandria said, nodding to him. He nodded to them both saying nothing. Alexandria and Shaddi began to talk a bit. Seeming to drop out of the world around them, something only girls could do when they wanted to. Aria appeared next to Severus.

"Don't be angry with her." She said quietly so only he could hear. "She didn't want it. But he made her an offer she couldn't refuse."

"And what would that have been." He hissed through clenched teeth.

"The truth about her family. Severus, you know as well as I do that even before she was taken from school, she thought her family was  
dead. Draco knew otherwise, but since when do the Malfoy's give anything to anyone. There's always a price, you know that, I know you do." He looked at her slightly startled, it didn't show but she could read him like a book despite his sky high shields. "Yes Severus I know, I know all about your secret. So don't you be angry with her, or I'll drop the dirt on you. My advice is for you to tell her before you force me too." Then she was gone next to her sister, in a flash. She put a hand on the other's shoulder, drawing Alexandria's attention to her. With a nod both twins smiled and looked at Shaddi.

"All right I've kept you long enough, do you want to see what we've brought to you?"

"Yes." Shaddi said, with poorly hidden excitement. Alexandria look at Severus

"Sorry, good sir but our gift is mainly for your wife." He waved his hand in understanding, he was still too busy being shocked to be upset by the lack of a gift he figured he wouldn't get anyway. "Come on." They said making Shaddi face the door. Severus moved behind her, he knew what he would find but he couldn't resist being there to see Shaddi's face. Aria threw the door open and for a moment there was only darkness. Then the candles flared to life and they saw him.

Sitting on the couch looking up at them was a long, tall, slightly robust man, His black hair swept down to his shoulders, barely past where Severus' own stopped. His dark eyes focused on Shaddi, and for a  
moment everything froze. Then he stood at the same time she darted toward him.

She hit him with enough force to knock him back onto the couch. They hugged for so long it was awkward. Shaddi was reduced to tears as she planted a kiss on the man's cheek. When finally they broke apart Severus could see the man that had to be Kai Ravencroft. Then only brother Shaddi ever had, and most likely the only family she had left. Severus found it hard to still be angry seeing her so happy around the only one left of her kin.

"I can't believe I'm here." Kai said holding his sister out at arms length so he could see her. "I can't believe your alive, I thought you had died, I've searched for you for so long."

"I've been busy."

"I can see that." He held up her hand gazing at the  
wedding band. "You look well."

"You look dead." Severus thought this was an odd comment  
indeed until Kai laughed, that was when he saw. Two long fangs glistening dangerously in the candlelight. He was a vampire.

"Yes, we have your friends here to thank for that." He looked at them,  
"Of course I wouldn't be here if they hadn't taken me. They weren't going to, until they saw my ring and realized who I was. When they  
told me they knew where you were, I couldn't wait around to die. But that's what would have happened, I had been put into some state, and these two bailed me out."

"We found him in a coven house in Italy, after we fought off the guards we were too late and they tried to kill him, our choices were, limited." Aria brought the last word forth with such delicate slowness, that was  
almost painful.

"Well I guess that means I've got another vampire to take care of." Shaddi said with a smile.

"No way, I might have died but your still my little sister. I'm taking care of you."

"Speaking of sisters, do you know what happened to Christine?" The youngest of the three of them Christine had been a week from turning fourteen when she disappeared. Kai's face fell.

"You don't want see her." He almost whispered it.

"She's alive!"

"No, She's not. From the looks of it and from what I've heard from these two, you took the vampire potion."

"Yes, I did. What of it?"

"Shaddi, not all vampires are sane. Somewhere in the  
transformation, things can go wrong. That's why only the most powerful can change humans. From what I gather everyone in our family was taken by vampires. It seemed that one of the younger ones developed a thing for her after a few years. When she almost died, he turned her. The thing was, he wasn't strong enough and the transformation, drove her insane. She acts as if she is permanently on the vampirus elixir. I'm telling you, she would kill you. Then  
where would that leave us?" He nodded toward Severus. She said nothing, he was right of course but that didn't mean she would admit it.

"I still want to see her."

"Shaddi, your going to get yourself killed."

"Kai she's my sister, do you realize that until now, I  
thought you were both dead!"

"We are."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." She looked down at the floor, suddenly seeming very interested in the stone. "But I suppose I  
should be happy I can see you at all." She looked at Severus, "Perhaps, you remember Kai."

"Yes, the only beater in school, who was able to give you a run for your money on the Quidditch field."

"We'll she wasn't exactly easy on me." He stood and  
extended his hand. "How are you Severus?"

"Very well, Yourself?"

"Dead." He smiled as if he enjoyed pointing this little fact out to everyone.

"I do wish you would stop saying that." Shaddi said.

"What my slayer? Does it bother you that your brother is the very thing you've hunted for so many years?" Her face fell with his accusation. He couldn't be right, it didn't matter to her if he was a vampire or not, did it? As her eyes dropped to the floor Kai knew he had gone too far.  
"Shaddi I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." She shook her head and turned back toward the door.

"I'll be out by the lake. If any of you need to feed later, I suggest you come find me out there." Then she left, letting the silence spiral horribly.


	25. In His Loving Memories

**Chapter Twenty-five: In His Loving Memories**

He saw her huddled by the lake starring out toward the water as if it could give her all the answers to her problems. She never even heard him approach as he glided down next to her on the rock. It was only when his hand hit her shoulder causing her to jerk around to see her brother's face. She looked away from him unable to face him.

"Don't." He gently grasped her chin pulling her face back to him.

"Shaddi, please don't turn away from me." His voice was low and sad "I know this bothers you, but there isn't anything you or I can do about it. I still love you, I'm still your brother even if I am dead."

"Kai, your being a vampire isn't what bothers me, it's that..." She trailed off as if she didn't know how to finish.

"No Shaddi, it's that I'm a vampire, you know it is. You've never gotten over what happened to you at the coven. You help the twins because you owe them for helping you, but you don't owe me anything. And yet, shouldn't it be different between us, damn it I'm your brother."

"I know Kai, but it's just hard to grasp, it'll never be the same, not now, not after everything we've all been through."

"Shaddi I know it can't be the same, but can't you at least try to see that  
I'm still your brother." He let her go looking out to the black water himself now. "They've helped me a lot those two. You know they kept me away from you longer than I would have liked. But they were right."

"About what?"

"As soon as I realized that I wasn't going to die, I wanted to come to you. They wouldn't let me. They wanted me to have more control of my new abilities. They said it would be hard enough for you to cope with my being a vampire, and  
harder if I couldn't control my bloodlust, my powers. So I worked hard, and listened to everything they taught me, learning as fast as I could so that I  
could see you that much more quickly. He stood and walked out over the water,  
the length of his cloak occasionally touching the still water, making ripples in  
all directions. He turned out there so he faced her while he floated above the  
gently moving water. "And yet I'm here and it almost seems you don't want me."

"Kai." She looked more hurt now than ever. She stood moving to the very edge of the rock. "How could I not want you, your my brother ,but, this is just so hard. To think that I'm the only one who who made it, I just feel guilty." She thought to the vision of her father. Even though he wasn't a vampire, he would die soon, the years of capture had taken too much out of him.

She was ripped from her memories when her chin was lifted and her face was  
upturned to that of her brothers. His eyes holding her there on the tip of a needle. She felt the front of his body pressed to hers and knew his feet were on  
level with the rock's edge.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about." His voice came in her ear. She could almost feel the want he had.

"Do it." She whispered, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side away from him. His breath was almost a gasp as he looked down the line of her throat, feeling her pulse through his hand. "Please, I'm giving it to you. Take it." He wrapped his arms around her drawing her as close as he could. With the touch of shadow itself, he pulled every stray strand of hair away from his sister's neck. Then pressed his lips to the flesh. His skin was ice to the touch and she knew  
he hadn't fed this night. She whispered reassurances into his ear, before she  
finally felt it. The piercing of twin daggers diving deep into her jugular vein.  
Her body seized. Every part of her tensing before relaxing into the pain and strength of his arms. She could feel her essence filling him, her life giving him life. And despite everything it made her happy, to know that she could still help her older brother.

As he pulled back he supported her full weight as she leaned on him. He held her for a long time, apologizing over and over for what he had done. Rocking her gently and holding her tightly. He could feel her slow heart beat, the breaths she drew trying to steady her spinning head. How long they sat there he didn't know, but sometime long after she had fed him he looked down and found his sister fast asleep in his arms. How much she now reminded him of the little girl he would comfort when bad dreams chased her into his bed. The thoughts made him smile as he took her back to the castle.


	26. A Vendetta's Venom

**Chapter Twenty-six: A Vendetta's Venom**

Shaddi woke on the couch in her chambers, it had been moved back to it's original position facing the bedroom door. As she sat up she felt a sharp pain in her neck and realized that it was from feeding Kai. Looking into the bedroom she could see Severus still sleeping, his black hair falling into his face. The sheet pushed down, so that from the light from the living room she could see his chest. She got up and went in slowly pulling herself onto the bed and slithering up next to him. He turned and put an arm over her without waking up. She smiled looking at his face before falling again to sleep.

He woke with his arms wrapped around her soft body, her face pressed into his chest, hair fanned out around her, tangled from sleep. Upon closer inspection he could see that there was a mark on her throat, most likely from feeding a vampire. He just lay there watching her as she slept, wondering when she had come back. As he watched her the thought back to what Aria had said the night before. True he was very angry with Shaddi for what she had done, but had he really been so much better. That blond hair, fiery touch, such fluid movement. He shook himself out of his tender memories, and carefully detaching himself from his wife slipped away into the bathroom where he got started for his morning, wishing he wasn't going to do what he had to do.

Shaddi woke a few hours later shivering in the cold of the dungeon. Opening her eyes she looked around to see she was alone. She couldn't hear anything, nor could she see any sign of Severus anywhere So she assumed that he was eating or reading. She got up and into the shower. Once she came out she  
went into the living room she could see Severus through the door into the kitchen. He was huddled around his cup of tea and starring at the Daily Prophet  
which was laying out on the table in front of him.

"Good morning." She said softly as she made herself some tea. He made a sort  
of sound in reply as he continued to stare at the paper. "Anything interesting?"  
He shook his head, he hadn't even been reading it. Just starring blankly at it.  
He took a deep breath and folded the paper, then laying it aside to look at her.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, Shaddi ran her fingers along the Kai's bite mark.

"All right. It's never as bad when your willing to do it and not being forced to." He nodded in understanding. They remained silent for a time just drinking their tea.

"So, what now?" She asked setting her mug down and looking across at him.

"Well we should probably talk about everything that has happened." Both of their voices were quite sounding and slow. They were both quiet for a time. Just looking at the floor in silence.

"Severus, Please understand, he knew where my family was."

"So you slept with him." He didn't sound angry, his voice was more hurt than anything.

"What else could I do? He had information I wanted, and that was his price."

"Something, anything else." She rested her elbows on the table and her face in her hands.

"Do you think I enjoyed it. I was sick with myself for days, I still can't believe that it even happened."

"But it did." She said nothing, refusing to look at him. He sighed, the time had come. "But I can't be too hard on you about it. God knows I did worse."

"What?" She looked up at him, he wouldn't look at her.

"What you have done, is petty compared to what I once did."

"What do you mean?" He still wouldn't meet her eyes.

"When we were in school, Just before I started dating you and until even after you were taken away, I was evolved with someone else." He stopped, he could hear her shaking breath.

"Who?" she just managed to say.

"Lucius." She looked at him unable to speak, but suddenly it all made sense to her. Lucius had been a rather decent person toward her until she started dating Severus, He had become jealous that she and Severus could walk around openly in love, yet he and Severus never could have.

"You were with him before me?"

"Yes."

"During your time with me?"

"Yes." It seemed to cause him physical pain to say it.

"And after?"

"Yes, when you disappeared he was all I had left to help me cope."

"For how long, until graduation, or now?"

"No Shaddi! I haven't been with him in quite a few years now, but still I was with him for perhaps five years after graduation. Once Draco was born, we both thought it for the best to end it. Narcissa never knew."

"So I guess it runs in their blood."

"Yes."

"So we know everything now, we aren't hiding anything more?"

"I am not."

"Nor am I." They sat there for a long time totally silent, until Shaddi looked at the clock. "We should go to breakfast." He nodded and they left.


	27. Cold Black Death

**Chapter Twenty-seven: Cold Black Death**

It took Shaddi and Severus several days to stop being depressed by their own stupidity. Once they did it seemed things were just perfect. Severus didn't question when she went to feed the vampires, he just cleaned her up and let her sleep. But once he even asked once if he could go with her.

"Severus, I don't think you want to do that."

"Shaddi please, feeding the three of them is taking too much out of you. I can see it. With trying so hard in school and taking care of them and yourself, it's just driving you into the ground. Let me help you." He looked so sincere.

"All right, but I can promise you, it's exhausting." So that night they went into the forest. Shaddi wishing Severus wasn't so determined to do what it was they were there to do.

When they arrived in the clearing, Severus could see exactly how bad the situation was. The three of them looked horrible, which made sense to him. A single person couldn't properly support three vampires without being bed ridden. Severus could see how much thinner each of them looked how the skin of their faces was pulled back like a horrid death mask.

"Severus," Kai said "what are you doing here?"

"I came to help your sister, she can't continue this on her own, it's too much on her alone."

"So you offer yourself up to us." Aria said looking him over.

"Yes." His throat seemed tight.

"Well Ladies first." Kai said, Aria stepped toward Severus. Alexandria moving over to Shaddi. She watched as Aria pushed Severus' hair aside and drew her body close to his.

"Don't fight her Severus, relax, it'll be better." He looked up at her before, he smiled slightly, trying to seem reassuring, a smile which was whipped quickly away as Aria bit into him. His gasp was lost to Shaddi as her own throat was bitten into. She felt Alexandria take her mind to dull the pain, lowering her shield, she let her vampire into to herself completely, hoping Severus wasn't trying to lock out Aria. When Alexandria had gotten her fill she held Shaddi for a time. Shaddi could see Aria cradling Severus has he lay on the ground weak and limp.

Once Shaddi's head was clear once again she extended her hand to her brother. Kai took it and lifted her to her feet, looking down at her and with the same gentleness he had the first time he feed from her he drew her into him holding her close as he fed from her. When he finished he still held her letting her get herself back together. When she was able to stand she went over to Severus and held him for a bit. When he could also stand they said their goodbyes to the vampires who thanked them, and they headed back up to the castle, as slow moving pair just wanting to go to sleep.

The next day they were both tired but Shaddi had more energy than she had, had in a while. She got much more work done and found she was only about a week off of completing everything for school. And so the days passed Shaddi finally finishing everything for school. Once it was completed Dumbledore offered her a job as Potions Mistress beside Severus, of course she accepted.

So she started working beside Severus, already much aquatinted with the labs in which the students worked it was nothing for her to move about the class offering help to those like Neville who were more than happy for it. They were a perfect contrast of each other. Severus still the cranky bat while Shaddi was the softer, more helpful, less judgmental side. It continued like that for sometime, until one night when Kai came into the Great Hall at dinner.

"Kai, what is it?" Shaddi asked as he knelt next to her chair.

"It's dad, the twins are bringing him here, he's barely well enough to travel, I'm going with them tonight, to get him, we hope that the staff here can help him a bit."

"When will you be back?"

"As soon as we can be." She sighed and hugged him.

"Take care of him." She whispered.

"Of course, goodbye." He stood and left, Severus leaned over.

"What was that?"

"They are going to bring my father here."

"Is he all right?"

"I don't know." She looked out one of the windows into the black night.

Shaddi went back to her dinner thinking about everything her brother had told her. She thought back to her childhood, about how strong her father had been in those days. About how well he had cared for his wife and children, and how he had vanished. That was over twenty years ago, and now she would see him again. It was torture to think about.

Her weeks went on and on, December turned to January and eased into February and soon March, she teaching next to Severus. And after three months there was still no word from her brother, nothing. She would stand out by the lake until all hours of the night thinking about them, hoping they were all all right.

It was finally when Severus went out next to the lake one night and found his sixteen year old wife, asleep on the bank that he started to worry, She was freezing and damp from the air. He sighed as he knelt down next to her.

"Shaddi." He shook her shoulder gently. She moaned and turned to him. Her eyes opened a slight bit. "Come here." He slid one hand under her knees and the other behind her back. She put her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. "It's time for you to come in." He carried her back to the castle, No one was out as they went down into the dungeon, The door to their chambers opened without him ever even taking out his wand. He laid her onto the bed, She looked up at him as he smoothed her hair out of her face. "You need to sleep, I have papers to grade, but I will be in shortly."

"Let me help you." She tried to sit up, but he pushed her back down.

"No, you have been up every night, don't think I haven't noticed. All I want you to do now is sleep." He sat down next to her and took off her boots, then he pulled the covers over her and kissed her good night before going to the study. He shook his head as he sat down and began his grading, the things that woman did. It was nearly two in the morning before he finally went to bed himself nearly all of the grading done. It was when he laid down his quill that he heard it, a smooth voice gliding through his head, effortlessly tearing apart his mental blocks.

"Severus." It said into his mind making him nearly jump. "This is Aria, Your mental shields do you no good around me anymore, we are connected through your blood." He relaxed a bit, slightly angry he had not expected this. "I'm sorry for this, I would have gone to Shaddi but I did not wish to wake her."

"What can I do for you?" He asked within his own mind, feeling the awkwardness of this conversation.

"I am only here to tell you that we will be arriving tomorrow night, with Robert Ravencroft." Severus sighed and collected himself.

"How is he?"

"Not well, all he wants now is to see his daughter. We've told him Christine is dead, and he doesn't know that Kai is a vampire. He is nearly blind so the lie isn't hard to protect, but he will not live much longer."

"Thank you, for informing me. I will tell Shaddi in the morning." He felt her withdraw from his mind. He settled back and relaxed a bit, then he got up and went to his bedroom. Shaddi was curled tightly in a ball, he sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her back before changing his clothes and climbing in next to her.

The next morning he woke with her curled into his chest. He lay awake with one arm around her and the other stroking her hair. He was letting his mind wander to the subject which he had to talk to his wife about. He was so focused on the task at hand that he never noticed Shaddi's eyes open. It wasn't until he realized that one of her hands was holding his that he even thought her awake. He looked down and was met with the stair of those enchanting violet eyes.

"Good morning my love." He said kissing her forehead.

"You seem distracted." She said

"Aria contacted me last night. She said that they will be arriving tonight." Her eyes widened,

"My father with them?"

"Yes, but she said he isn't well." She sat up running a hand threw her tangled hair.

"Really," She paused "does he know about Kai?

"No, she said he is nearly blind and can't tell." Now he paused, looking past Shaddi to the wall where his reflection looked back at him, neither seeing the other. "She also said they told him your sister is dead."

"It's almost true, she has no memory of us, nor any control over herself. It's better he not know." Her voice had become very hollow. He watched as she stood and went into the bathroom, he heard the click of the lock before the running water. He sighed, he had expected that. All of this was hard for her and he knew she would be happy to see her father but sad to see his condition.

He sighed and went to his kitchen and began to read, waiting for her to return. After an hour he began to worry for his wife, he moved back to the bedroom where he couldn't hear the shower running. He knocked, no answer. He knocked again, and as he went to open the door the sprung open and there she stood,nothing at all wrong with her. Steam pouring off her porcelain body, her wet hair sending, sliver droplets down the length of her torso and legs, Amethyst eyes fixed on him.

"You normally don't take this long, I got worried." He said focusing his eyes on hers.

"Well I thought a pool of hot water might help me." She turned and went back in leaving the door open. He followed her and saw the bath tub full of that hot steamy water, bubbles dancing on the surface as well as around the room. He watched as she slid under the glassy surface, reclining back with her eyes closed. Severus sat behind her in the floor and began to rub her shoulders. Digging his fingers into her tense muscles and working her loose. She let her head fall forward and a moan escape her.

Hours later Shaddi could be found poking at her lunch, trying to make herself want food. She could get her appetite up, she was just too anxious.

"Shaddi, you have to eat something." Severus said, looking over at her.

"I know, I just don't have any appetite." She sighed pushing her plate away from her. She looked up at the ceiling, it was cloudy, lighting flashing across it every so often, thunder roaring outside, yet no rain, dry lighting. At least they weren't in the rain, she thought miserably hoping beyond hope, they were all OK.

By night fall Shaddi was a ball of nerves, constantly pacing around her rooms picking up books then putting them down, unable to focus, upon their contents. She paced the room for hours her mind full with everything that was now happening. She refused to eat dinner and instead her sixteen-year-old self could be fond pacing the entrance hall waiting. She leaned against the wall twirling her wand between her fingers

She started to lose hope they would show up when the clock chimed ten and still there had been no sign of them. Severus came to check on her every so often, while he patrolled the corridors looking for stray students. Finally he took a place at her side, joining in her vigil of the front doors.

Finally at nearly one o'clock she was ready to give up and head into the dungeons. When she voiced the thought to Severus he agreed and as they went to leave, they heard something, a loud thud. Turning toward the doors again they watched as someone pushed them back, Shaddi watched as the dirty, tired, and wet form of her brother emerged from the pounding rain that had started just before desert. Next came Aria and Alexandria holding between them a stretcher covered with blankets.

"We need to get him were it's warm." Kai said looking worried, Shaddi and Severus wasted no time in leading them to the hospital wing where Madam Pomfery was quite distressed.

"Bringing and old man her in the rain...." She went on for sometime Shaddi not even trying to listen. She watched as The wet blankets were peeled away and the thin frail looking body of a now 57 year-old Robert Ravencroft was reveled. He looked much older than he was, Shaddi supposed that was from the years of feeding and fighting, to survive.

He was not conscious, laying there as if he were dead. It was all Shaddi could do not to cry at the sight of him, her father, the one who had always been so strong, who had always known how to help her, who had always protected their family, he was no dependent upon the care of others just to survive.

In the days to come Shaddi never left the hospital, as if afraid Robert would dissipate if she let him out of her sight. Kai too sat opposite her both clutching a hand of there dyeing father. Severus worried for the family to whom he was now bonded, his wife and brother-in-law had stopped taking meals, and usually fell asleep sitting beside their father, Both looked as if they themselves were growing ill. Kai had grown thinner still then he had previously been and his skin held that greenish tinge that underfed vampires often got. Shaddi's color wasn't any better. Her hands shook if she tried to hold anything with weight to it, and more often then not she could be found crying beside her family, her emotions scattered and sense of reality long lost from improper care of her body.

When Madam Pomfery finally had Robert in slightly better health, he woke from his coma like sleep, focusing his clouded eyes upon Shaddi. "Raven?" He whispered his voice shaking with the effort to speak. Raven, his wife, now dead from what they understood. Shaddi had gained much of her appearance, including that platinum blond hair, which was likely the thing he now was able to see best. Shaddi found her voice barely able to force it through the knot in her throat.

"No father, it's Shaddi." She said leaning closer so he might better make out her face. He blinked at her for a moment, a smile at last slowly breaking onto his face.

"Shaddi, I thought you had died, I couldn't believe when Kai told me you were still alive." He stopped a coughing fit over taking him. Once he was able to control himself he had to take several deep breaths before he could go on. "I'm sorry." He said looking at her again.

"Shh, it's not your fault." Shaddi said brushing his white hair away from his face. The blue of his eyes, the eyes which Shaddi had inherited, was a hardly visible through the cataracts that nearly blinded him completely.

"I couldn't save her." He said, they knew he meant their mother, they had vanished at the same time, and Shaddi had always assumed they were together.

"None of us could." Kai whispered, a tear falling from his eye. Shaddi knew that he felt guilty for able to better protect his sisters, for after their parents were taken, he took charge of the family. He had never forgiven himself for not saving Christine. Shaddi too felt guilty, her baby sister was now trapped forever as a monstrous killing machine because she too had failed her.

Robert raised a shaking hand to his daughter's face and cupped her cheek. He smiled, and so did she, bringing a hand up and placing it over his. She could count the number of time he had done this in her childhood, always managing to make her feel better just by touching her in such a manner.

"Kai tells me you've gotten married." He said, his a bit stronger then previous, as if he were trying to instill courage into his frightened daughter by seeming stronger.

"Yes, on Christmas Eve. I married Severus Snape." She said with a found smile. Severus was at dinner at this very moment, waiting for it to end so her might join her, as he had every night, until very late in the evening.

"I glad, you always were fond of him." He turned to Kai, his hand sliding away from Shaddi's face allowing the cool air to hit it, it almost stung. "Take care of your sister, you did such a good job in youth. Watch over her for me." Shaddi began to cry again, Kai was now holding back tears with everything he had. As he told his father he would look after his sister forever. Not long after this Robert fell back into his sleep, leaving Shaddi and Kai to sit and cry silently, still cradling his hands in their own.

Days and nights passed Robert seeming to lose track of weather he was dreaming or not, he started to talk nonsense, and often spoke to Shaddi as if she were his wife or her sister, pleading over and over for forgiveness, swearing he had tried, and still failed them. Severus watched all of this sadly, knowing how Shaddi suffered, often wrapping his arms around her as she cried. Finally one day she found more reason to cry than any before.

She and Kai sat beside there father as he woke speaking to his dead wife, his eyes not even directed toward Shaddi this time. Just pointing skyward as if the ceasing was talking back to him.

"Raven, I love you, I'm so sorry, so sorry." this phrase repeated several times before he stopped speaking entirely. For a moment Shaddi just thought his voice had gone, then she realized it was him. Blind eyes still pointed skyward he had lost his life talking to the phantom of his life long lover, seeing her as he crossed the threshold of life and passed into the kingdom of death. Shaddi dropped her head onto his chest sobbing with no restraint. Kai to cried, with a bit more dignity than his younger sister, he reached up and gently pushed the lids of his fathers eyes closed. And moved around the bed to hold his sister. Severus entered this scene, and knew at once what had happened. He did not touch his wife as he passed leaving her to her brother, instead he went to the nurse and began to discuss the burial.

In the days passing Shaddi was not seen except for the funeral, she locked her self in the room of requirement refusing to see any one and blasting out the house elves which brought her food. This lasted for nearly two weeks and finally Severus had, had enough. He and Dumbledore marched up to the wall where the room of requirement was supposed to be and walked past it three times thinking of how much they needed to help her. Finally a door appeared and drawing his wand Severus pushed the door back.

The room was very large and entirely empty. Shaddi was the the only thing in the space. She was kneeling on the floor her wand out and her eyes pointed toward them, unfocused and mad.

"Shaddi." He said, stepping forward the Headmaster behind him, both their wands out. She, stood swaying as she did, her head rolling obviously she was ill, not having eaten in many days, she looked sick, like standing was draining her of too much strength.

"Shaddi come now, you need to let us help you." Dumbledore said, a patient tone to his voice.

"Leave!" She said a curse issuing from her wand but missing them by several feet, it bounced off the walls and floor finally striking the door and shattering it. Severus and Albus moved quickly out of the way and a second was fired off and also ricochet off the suffices of the room before striking her in the back and dropping her to the floor.

They took her to the Hospital Wing Madame Pomfery making a great deal of fuss, Kai making an even bigger fuss once he came. The twins remained silent choosing not to put in any input or judge anyone.

"But will she be alright?" Kai asked the nurse as she magically instilled a potion into Shaddi's mouth, forcing her to swallow, so that she could regain some nutrients.

"She will live." She said hardly glancing at him, she seemed a bit jittery, for he was very close, and gave off the aura of one who is in command, however this was her domain and she would not be intimidated. "However I am afraid the child might not survive."


	28. Life and Death

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Life and Death**

The room stood still, time stopped and everyone stared at the medi-witch. _Child,_ the room echoed with the word. Severus looked to the unconscious woman laying next to him on the bed.

"She's Pregnant." He whispered, hardly believing it.

"Yes." The nurse said, also looking at Shaddi.

"How long?" Kai asked.

"Not very, a few weeks at most."

"The end of February." Severus said, thinking backwards, it will be born in October, if it...lives." He was completely shocked, unable to think about anything except that thing, a parasite now living within his wife, soon to grow into a human, or to wither and die.

"What is wrong with it?" Kai asked something about his eyes now changing, his protectiveness doubling.

"Well she's been starving herself, hasn't she, I can't imagine she even knows she's pregnant. I doubt she would have done this otherwise. All I can do now is keep putting nutrients into her, and hope."

"Severus maybe you could brew some kind of potions to help?" Albus said, looking toward the Potions Master. Severus nodded rather mechanically. From then on, Shaddi was the one around whom others gathered, Kai once again never leaving her side, now looking worse than ever, however he began accepting the blood the House-elves brought him. The twins came and also sat with their friend, consoling Kai.

Severus researched numerous potions which would aid Shaddi's recovery and could help the child survive. He had never remembered working harder toward anything in his life. His entire world was wrapped around his wife and the thing living inside her.

But soon everyone's hard work and waiting seemed to be paying off, Shaddi's color began to return to normal, Severus had kept her asleep with different draughts, no as strong as "Living Death", but he insured that she would not wake until he reversed the potions effects. It was agreed that after her fit when she was collected that she should be nursed to health before being conscious, and that she be nowhere near her wand or any kind of weapon at that time. Finally after two weeks of steady slow treatment she was back at healthy levels, and the day of her awakening was set.

So after nightfall, the vampires came and everyone gathered around her in the Hospital Wing. Severus took the upper part of Shaddi's body into his lap as he seated himself on the bed. Her unstopered the vial in his hand andpoured it down her throat, the minute it touched her tongue she coughed, He put his hand over her mouth and nose and forced her to swallow. As she did she trashed and convulsed a bit then relaxed in his arms, looking up at him with tired eyes.

"Sverus, What happened....I...." It hit her, he could see her memory returning and tears came back to her eyes. She cried quietly in his arms for a bit, sounding very much like her father whispering apologies over and over again. Finally they had her calm and sitting up and they talked over what happened with her father, she had now accepted what happened, and knew he was better off, no longer in the pain of his years with the vampires. And so when they reached a break in conversation, they could wait no longer.

"Shaddi there is still something we must tell you. Something we found while you were asleep." Severus said, now holding her again.

"What is it?" She said concerned by the tone of his voice.

"We found out that, your going to have a baby." No one moved, they all seemed to have stopped breathing. Shaddi looked wildly around from Severus, to Kai, and the twins, and Dumbledore, then to Madam Pomfery and back to Severus. Finally it seemed she realized they were not lying.

"Wh... What?"

"Shaddi, your pregnant." Kai said kneeling down to see her better. Her first reaction was shock then a smile crept onto her face as she looked up a Severus. He smiled back down at her, searching her face for honesty.

"What do you think? Severus Snape a daddy?" She asked laughing a bit.

It seemed after finding out she was pregnant Shaddi did a 180, refusing to let her depression take hold of her again, she began to study more, this time on children, and things which would be helpful to her and their child. She continued to teach, and regardless of their happiness, they told no one, preferring to keep it to themselves for the time being. It wasn't until she began to show that they addressed the school, announcing that she would be due next October, to have The hair to the Snape name.

After dinner Shaddi was nearly knocked off her feet when the Gryffindor trio came to congratulate her. Harry couldn't stop smiling, Ron actually shook Severus' hand with a zealous amount of vigor, and Hermione hugged Shaddi so hard she thought she would break. They talked for nearly ten minutes as other students filed out passed them everyone wishing them congrats and smiling. Once everyone calmed down Shaddi and Severus headed back down to their

chambers to relax for he night.

By this time the air was growing warming outside, and the days were nice and everyone could tell that even though winter was not over, it seemed that spring might come early this year. Shaddi cut back on her work load as her pregnancy progressed, and soon she only patrolling the classes to walk.

The year went on, students were soon taking their end of year exams Some said their final goodbyes as they graduated. Others went home to enjoy their summer breaks before another year. Shaddi and Severus enjoyed the warm weather walking along the grounds.

But even in great and beautiful times, bad things can still happen. The Daily Prophet began to report more and more disappearing witches and wizards. Muggles began dying at exponential rates. And soon it was apparent to everyone that these were the same events when Lord Voldermort came into power the first time. That it was only a matter of time before he would fully resurface and the war would blaze back into life. So all that could be done was begin done, people got more protective, more frightened, and it was only the beginning.

The summer passed with little more event, and soon the heightened levels of stress became the norm again, and life continued. And soon parents hugged their children goodbye, and sent them off to school until the holidays. As the train pulled into the station the students poured off the train, seventh years finding the lost school mates, second years trying to find the coaches, first years looking intensely frightened as they were first met with the sight of Hagrid.

As the older students filled the Great Hall most of the students looked up toward the staff table seeing who was there and if they could expect new teachers. To none of their surprise there didn't seem to be any new faces. Professor McGonagall was absent, most likely awaiting the first years which was why Hagrid too was still gone. Dumbledore still sat in the center of the table. To his left say Professor Snape and his wife. She looked like she was coming much closer to her due date. Harry briefly wondered as he sat down, if Shaddi would be taking over Defense against the Dark Arts, the previous years teacher was said to have gone mad. He almost hoped she wouldn't, since that job did in fact seem jinxed.

The opening ceremonies went smoothly and the feat as always was amazing. Soon the hundreds of full tired students were making their way to their various common rooms. The staff broke up and headed to their respective chambers. Shaddi and Severus walked slowly down into the dungeons, finding their chambers exactly the same as they had left the that summer. Once they had changed and settled in, it took them no time at all to fall into a comfortable sleep.


	29. Genesis

_**It's been a long time in coming, over a year, but finally here it is! Year 7! I know I will not hold true to the books. So sue me, I started this thing before the original was done. As I have gone along I have gotten to the point where my story will not work with the true ending. I'm going to keep writing anyway. As is it we are getting close to the end. So here we go!**_

**Chapter 29: Genesis:**

Shaddi sat beside Severus in the Great Hall awaiting the start of term feast. Everyone chattered creating a great din of noise that seemed to split her head. As her pregnancy progressed nearing its end she found she could not sleep, and as such as she would like and was tired most of the time. By this time, as happy as she was that she would be the mother to Severus Snape's child, she just wanted it out of her.

She managed to perk up a bit as the first years came in. They stood before the entire school cold and waiting for it to begin. Professor McGonagall brought the sorting hat forward and set upon its ancient stool. For a moment it just sat there then the ancient hat opened near the brim and it sang yet another one of its many well thought out house songs. As the hat took its bows and became still, Professor McGonagall stepped forward and began to read the seemingly endless list of names. After what seemed to Shaddi like hours "Zaryes, Julian" was placed into Ravenclaw and the food appeared. The noise seemed to drop a notch or two in volume. She focused her energies on eating, which she was finally happy to be able to do.

She looked over toward Severus as she put food onto her plate, funny how only one year ago he was not a part of her life. _In fact,_ she thought looking around, o_ne year ago I was ruining the start of term feast; and thought I would get thrown into Azkaban._ How much had changed, when she woke up that September day one year ago she had had no idea that she would end up back at Hogwarts, finding the man she had loved for so long, all over again. Severus felt her eyes on him and looked over at her, his jet black eyes meeting her violet ones. He did not smile at her, he rarely did in front of the students but she knew that the spark she could see in his eye was his silent way of telling her he loved her.

Severus had gone to great lengths to make sure she had everything he could give her. She had become a kind of assistant to the various teachers in the past year, once her pregnancy progressed and she had a hard time standing all day to teach classes. This year she would once again takeover Defense Against the Dark Arts. Severus had wanted the position for a long time, but knew Shaddi would bring it the correct amount of justice; and she had admitted herself that while she was good, he was better than she was a potion making. The thought brought him back to their days in school, the two of them held up in the library working for hours on end on their essays, always trying to outdo each other and yet helping one another to succeed. She was the only person he knew, besides himself, that could have possibly crammed a year and a half's worth of work into a few months to finish her education in a legitimate fashion. As well as get through the many hours of work that was required to get her teaching credentials. He thought of her summer project, in addition to reading about children and everything that could possibly be thought about raising them; she was working on enhancing her already extensive knowledge of the dark arts, preparing extensive lessons for the year to come. As the Dark Lord's supporters grew more and more active he could tell she was becoming more stressed. Though neither of them had yet felt the dark mark burn, the activity that was happening all over the country was far too similar to what had been happening prior to the Dark Lord's first fall from power.

Shaddi didn't want to think about what would happen if the Dark Lord called for them, he would know she was back within society, someone would have alerted him by now. She ran a hand over her large belly inwardly cringing at the idea that her child would have to grow up in a world where the Dark Lord was anywhere near power. Dinner turned into desert and soon everyone was overfull and ready for bed. Albus Dumbeldore stood up to address his school.

"Welcome everyone! I am very happy to see all of you whole and healthy at the start of this bright new school year." He paused looking over the house tables. "I would like to also give a few reminders of the school rules, the forbidden forest is off limits, as always. There should not be any performance of magic in the corridors." He looked down the table toward Shaddi and smiled. "This year will also be welcoming a new addition to our Hogwarts family, The Snape family is expecting their child near the end of October. During that time Professor Severus Snape will cover his wife's classes while she recovers. So we will have even more to celebrate as we near Halloween. Now I do believe it is time for bed; Prefects, if you would please guide your first years." With that he sat down, the house Prefects began calling out to their houses, gathering the youngest students so they could guide them through the castle for the first time.

Severus and Shaddi stood up and left the Great Hall through a secret side chamber to avoid the hustle and bustle of the main school. Shaddi moved along quickly wishing for her bed, even though she knew it wouldn't bring her much peace. She was at the stage of her pregnancy where she wasn't sleeping well, and couldn't manage to find a comfortable position for long. She decided to make tea before trying to sleep, the strong smell of peppermint wafted up to meet her nose as she opened the tin she kept her tea in. Over the opening she saw Severus put the kettle on for hot water.

"Your head, again?" He asked, Shaddi only nodded in response. She had taken on a great distaste for any kind of medicinal potions, wanting to let her body go through this as naturally as it could. He admired her for it, but that didn't mean he understood it at all. After a few silent sips she glanced up at him, studying him a bit before she spoke.

"Did you and the Headmaster get the class schedule to work finally?" By now Severus had started busying himself with his own cup of tea, thinking it sounded good before bed.

"Yes, I should have no problems starting off your classes as well as mine this year. Of course it isn't as if I haven't had to substitute classes before, and you will be there helping me, at first at least." He leaned against the opposite counter as he spoke to her, his steaming mug trapped by his long thin fingers. She could tell she had put him into a business mood; Severus was one of the few people who it seemed could absolutely separate business from pleasure. He never really showed her special treatment in front of the students. In fact the last time he had shown any kind of affection toward her in front of the student population was when they announced their child. But even then it was in that most traditional sense, she could always tell that he had been raised to behave, in such situations, with pureblood grace. It didn't bother her as much as she thought it would in her youth, in fact it didn't bother her at all. To do anything else would be unprofessional to say the least. She knew he loved her, she didn't any public affirmation of it, and he was more than enough for her just as he was.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind." His voice drifted into her thoughts, breaking her trance. He had moved without her realizing it, and was no directly in front of her; she smiled up at him.

"Just thinking," he raised an eye brow, waiting for her to finish. "I wouldn't have this any other way." She put an arm around him, leaning her head onto his chest. She let the sound of his heart beat fill her ears, soon she could feel her own pulse match his; for a minuet they stood there holding one another.

"Come on, you need to try to rest, at least a little." He said finally, coaxing her to bed. He had never been one to sleep long hours, but even he could not see how she was still going on the way she was with a little sleep as she was getting. What she didn't realize was that tonight he had managed to lace their tea with a very subtle sleeping draught, not enough to knock them out at once, but enough to ensure she finally got a decent night sleep. She would realize what he had done of course, she wasn't a fool. As he fell asleep he knew she would be upset with him, but also knew she would realize why he had done it.

When Shaddi woke she was fully prepared to see her clock reading 2AM, she was quite surprised to see 9:00 on the clock and at once realized what must have happened. There was the very off chance she hand finally managed to sleep through the night; or there was the far more likely possibility that Severus and doused her with a sleeping potion. For a moment she let her anger course through her, but she as spotted herself in the mirror she knew why he had done it. This time yesterday it had been obvious that the one thing she needed most was rest. Today she looked better, and no doubt she would actually be able to focus on the tasks as she went through the day, rather than feel like she would pass out at her desk. She understood why he did it; it was just a bit more proof that he loved her. She realized that if she didn't hurry she would miss breakfast, so she got up and dressed quickly. She realized that her husband wasn't in their chambers as she left their bedroom. Apparently he had intended to let her sleep right through breakfast. She shook her head as she walked through the hallways headed toward the Great Hall. She loved him, but sometimes he was just so silly.

Severus was surprised to see Shaddi make it to breakfast; he had almost hoped she would sleep through it. Of course, he mused, the body can only sleep for so long, unless it is assisted. _Of course if she isn't mad at me yet, that might be the way to do it._ He thought as she joined him at the staff table.

"Morning." She said as she began to fill her plate, there was no stiffness to her voice, it made him wonder.

"How did you sleep?"

"Well, although assisted." She smiled slyly at him, she knew. Before he could say anything she held her hand up. "I'm not upset with you, I needed a good night sleep, but please don't do that again without asking me." She left it at that as she began to eat, her eyes surveying the house table below. Severus went to his breakfast, no matter how fiercely independent she truly was he knew he could count on her to be reasonable; it was one of the many things he loved about her. As breakfast ended Harry Potter and his friends waved to Shaddi as she left the staff table, she excused herself from Severus and headed over to them.

"How was your summer?" She asked as she joined the trio.

"Wonderful!" Hermione said first. What followed was an extensive breakdown of their summer holidays as well as some talk of their futures. "I mean it is just amazing all of the jobs we will be able to do right out of school, and then with some more training even more opportunities will be open to us." Ron looked absolutely horrified at the idea of going through even more school. Of course Harry had had thoughts on being an aurror for some time now; thinking on it brought back the memories he had of his career advisory session with Professor McGonagall in his fifth year. But a lot of those aspirations rested upon this year's grades, and if Shaddi's classes this year were going to be anything like last years she would not being going easy on them. Then there was the idea that Snape would be running her classes after she had the baby, which would prove to be interesting. After talking for a while Shaddi excused herself, telling them she still had a few things to prepare for Monday's lesson. Harry, Ron and Hermione wandered off toward the grounds; Harry's mind lingering on all of the things that had happened over the summer; of all of the activity that both the wizard and muggle worlds had seen. Murders, people disappearing, once perfectly brilliant wizards now turning into stumbling buffoons, people were afraid to let their children out of doors for too long. Harry had seen a lot of it before, with Professor Quirrell; the way people reacted when Sirius escaped from Azkabhan. He could remember all too clearly the stories he heard from the older wizards and witches about the days when Voldermort had first come to power. It all sounded like too much to him, he wanted to talk to Shaddi alone, but didn't want to make a scene of it. Then he realized, it would be nothing to get an owl to drop a letter to her at the morning post with her usual morning paper. Feeling a bit silly for not thinking of it sooner he relaxed a bit and set his spirits a bit higher so he could enjoy his last homework free weekend with his friends.

"_Shaddi,"_

It was about as far as he had gotten, he could not for the life of him decide how to word all the things going on in his mind. What was she going to do? After all it wasn't a matter of if Voldermort showed his face again but exactly when. Shaddi seemed in every way to be Snape's opposite. She was warm and kind while he was cold and abrasive. Would she really go if he called them? Would she have a choice? Would she stand to defend Hogwarts when Voldermort finally marched on it? Could he even bring himself to ask her any of this? He decided he could not. No matter how much it bothered him if he was honest with himself, he really didn't want to know the answers to any of this.

"Harry?" He looked around at Ron, "You're awfully quiet mate, something wrong?" Hermione too looked concerned, they clearly wouldn't drop it if he tried to brush it off.

"Just worried I guess, after everything that happened at the Ministry, last year was almost too quite. Now people are going mad and disappearing. It's almost too much to know that somewhere out there a war was biding its time." He realized he was a bit out of breath and had to wonder for a moment how long he had wanted to say that. "It was just easier when we were kids, you know? We could pretend that all of the stuff that happened was isolated, even if we knew it wasn't." For a moment they all just looked out over the grounds taking in all that had happened, and all that hadn't.

"Getting cold isn't it?" They turned to see Shaddi giving them a fixed look. "Perhaps we should go inside." They nodded and followed her up to the castle. None of them spoke as they moved toward Shaddi's office, seeming to know that nothing of value could be said while the masses could hear them. "Tea?" She asked conjuring extra chairs for all of them to sit in. She sat for a moment obviously organizing thoughts before she started. "I know this is hard on the three of you especially. All of you have had a very special connection to this for a very long time." Her eyes lingered on Harry's for a moment. "You are also no longer children, however, you must remember this is not your war to fight alone."

"Where will you be?" Harry blurted out suddenly, Hermoine jumped as if frightened by his sudden animation. "Will you go crawling back when he calls? Will you fight against Snape, we all know he's going back?" Shaddi looked at him with a very tired expression.

"Harry, please sit down." He blinked he hadn't even realized he had stood up.

"Sorry." He said, a bit red in the face.

"I understand why you are upset. However for obvious reasons my plans cannot be shared with you. Just know that I care for Hogwarts very much, and will do all I can to protect it." They all fell quite for a bit looking away from each other. It was about this time that Ron noticed the large table full of strange objects not much unlike Dumbledore had in his own office.

"Shaddi, what are those?" She smiled at him almost wickedly.

"Those are soon to be your seventh year projects." His face fell realizing that she meant for them to have plenty to think on other than the war. Hermione jumped to her feet at once and began to inspect the table talking very fast about the few things she could recognize. She was very put out when Shaddi refused to tell her anything about the others. "You've already seen too much and I won't give the three of you anymore of an advantage. Now shoo!" They laughed as she pushed them away from the table and out of the office. Securing the door behind them she sat back down at her desk wanting more than anything, a stiff drink to calm her nerves. "Not yet though," she said stroking her belly. "I hope you're ready soon, because I sure am."


End file.
